Kikyou's Story
by KAORI inspi' HITOMI
Summary: [STORY DISCONTINUED] If Kagome & Inuyasha have a story to tell in the original anime series, so does Kikyou have with Inuyasha too. This is a story of what Kikyou's adventures as protector of the Shikon Jewel. somewhat fluff, somewhat drama
1. It All Started

**Chapter One: It All Started Here**

**Well…nothing much to say except enjoy this story about Inuyasha and Kikyo. I'm re-designing their story a little bit.**

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**Chapter One**

Kikyo walked across the grass field. It was an Autumn evening, and the dandelions were beginning to blow their seeds across as the breeze blew by. The protector of the Shikon Jewel stopped. In her hands was the Shikon Jewel glowing pink from her purification held by a silk string with impaled bird feathers through it. As she looked at the setting sun, Kikyo smiled waiting for her love to appear.

_Once InuYasha has changed into a human, he will be accepted by the village…_

Kikyo's heart filled with happiness as she waited for him while looking at the birds flying home across the sky. As she took a closer look, a few birds were flying in pairs.

_Will we end up like those birds in the sky…?_

Her answer was to come as a powerful blow hit across her right shoulder. As she fell, the grasp on the Shikon Jewel was lost. Her mind filled with confusion and darkness in her heart as her chin impacted on the hard ground, followed by her entire body.

_Now which bastard demon has come to ruin my day…?_

Kikyo stretched her hand out weakly to take hold of the Shikon Jewel which was only a few inches from her. As she took her hold on the sacred gem, a bare foot pressed against her hand, causing pain to her hand as her palm impacted against the hard texture of the precious item.

_Inu…Inu…InuYasha…?!?_

She looked up to see the half-demon with a dark look on his face. His visage depicted a sinister one, with a dark image on it. He gave an evil sniggle as he continued to press against her hurting palm which in turn pressed against the dense surface of the Shikon Jewel.

"Kikyo…no, I mean Kikyo the Priestess," he sniggled as he continued to give the style of hostility to her, making the darkness in her heart to grow continuously. "Do you know what this means?"

"InuYasha…Why?!" Kikyo questioned weakly but angrily as she continue to lie on the ground with her hand still stuck on the jewel. "Didn't you want to become a human?"

"Human??? Did I say that?" Came the sarcastic reply back to the priestess, which made her even more furious at the half-demon's betrayal. "I have all along wanted to be a demon."

"InuYasha, you jerk…" Kikyo responded angrily as his betrayal overwhelmed her. "I should have never trusted you…"

The half-demon in red only gave a sinister laugh in response as Kikyo fainted.

A giant centipede crawled its way up to a small wooden shrine whose façade was only that of tightly closed wooden doors. Surely, it was no doubt a _youkai _or demon from its large size. The surroundings were simply serene in the dead of night. It was the most perfect plan to steal the Shikon Jewel.

"At last," the _youkai _hissed softly to itself. "I can have the Shikon Jewel for myself."

Its joy was not to last, for a piercing arrow hit its heart just before it could open the wooden doors. It gave a scream before collapsing, signifying its tragic end. A lone figure high up in the trees observed as the centipede _youkai _met its finale. In the near distance stood a majestic girl who had released the arrow onto the intruder through her bow.

"Another intruder in our village again," the girl in white top and red _hakama _or Japanese pants. She gave a signal which beckoned the other villagers with sharp rakes and torches to take the dead centipede away from the shrine. "The power of the Shikon Jewel is really attractive to demons."

The archeress-cum-priestess looked around as the villagers showed signs of gratitude once again. "It is a honour for you to protect our village from demons once again," came the same words of flattery again. She gave another sigh again.

"It is late," said the priestess as she looked up at the starry night sky. "Discard the centipede's body in the bone-eaters' well, and please get a rest after that."

"Yes, Priestess Kikyo!"

Kikyo opened the wooden door to her small hut. Inside it, her little sister slept peacefully by the fire that had been started to ward off any _youkai _from the minute hut. Placing down her bow and arrow on the wooden floor, her sharp eyes caught a dark figure sneaking across a window hastily.

"Who's there?" she shouted as she took up her bow and arrow again. There was no response. The only sound Kikyo heard was that of her sister stirring from her slumber.

"_Oneesan_," she got up from her straw mattress. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Kaede," her elder sister came over to her, stretching a hand to lay her little sibling down before tucking her in with a hemp blanket. "Now to go to sleep for it's late."

After tucking Kaede in, she moved to the other side of the hut. Sitting on the straw mattress, Kikyo stared at the starry night sky from the big window. It was certainly quiet; the rest of the villagers had probably gone to bed by now. Only the continuous sound of the crickets served to be the background music for the night. She closed her eyes.

_Okaasan…I am all alone with Kaede…What should I do? I'm not treated equally too; the villagers see me as some invincible immortal…_

Kikyo opened her eyes to look at the moon which lit the entire sky. It could only reply back the troubled priestess with its crescent shape.

_I wonder when how long will I have to protect the Shikon Jewel…a decade? Two decades? Or a century? It is so uncertain…_

The only thing she could do was to lie on her straw mattress and sink into a deep sleep.

Kikyo opened her eyes to see that morning light had fallen onto the wooden floor through the gaping holes of the windows of the hut. She turned her head left to see Kaede still sleeping. After getting up, Kikyo looked out through the window to watch the _Shikon-Tama _shrine as black crows flew past it and some perching themselves at the roof of it. It was going to be a perfect day for her without any demons attacking the shrine again. The priestess smiled to herself as she continued to tie her hair tirelessly.

_Wait a minute…Wasn't one of the crows having an abnormal look?_

She opened her eyes to reconfirm the normalness of the situation. No, there was an abnormal one which had just flew into the small holes of the wooden doors. Cursing the day once again, Kikyo took up her bow and arrows as she rushed to the shrine perched on the small hill.

A crow flew out of the door holes as it held a certain violet jewel in its beak. No doubt, it was a _tori-youkai_ that wanted to use the Shikon Jewel to increase its powers, another common goal among the demons that had wanted to steal the holy gem.

Hastily as she could, Kikyo place the arrow before the bow as she held the bowstring back. The elastic string moved back with every pull she made as she held the arrow back. With her sharp eye, the priestess aimed it at the escaping crow demon as it flew across the azure sky. The arrow was released in a split second.

The flying _youkai _cried out as the arrow hit its target without fail. Impaled through its body, the crow dropped the Shikon Jewel as its beak opened, as it plunged to the ground from high heights.

Kumi walked across the dirt path as she carried her large baskets of produce to the next town. Little did she know that as she turned away to observe the flying butterflies, a tiny violet jewel fell into one basket which landed with a small plod sound without disturbing much of its surroundings.

At the village, almost every villager was searching high and low for the precious gem. Kikyo herself was searching the village too. The dark energy of the crow demon had such an effect on the jewel that it had blocked its detection from Kikyo. It had been a few hours since that had happened.

Kikyo looked up to suddenly find a glowing violet light in the direction of the nearest town. The jamming of the jewel's detection had worn off. Making no wastage of time, the _miko _took off with her bow and arrows into the depths of the dirt path that led to the next town.

_The Shikon Jewel is in jeopardy if I do not retrieve it soon…_

Kikyo panicked within her heart but continued to remain calm while rushing in the direction of where the precious stone was. Little would she know that a harmless human would be carrying the Shikon Jewel which would make the situation worse.

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**Well…I guess you enjoyed it. Review if you please. If you could give me suggestions and feedback, I would gladly take it and hope to incorporate into the story. D**

**Glossary:**

**_Youkai _– Every InuYasha fan knows it. **

**_Tori _– Bird**

**_Oneesan _– Big Sister**

**_Okaasan _– Mother**

**_Shikon-Tama _– The Shikon Jewel (I guess everyone must have guessed it.)**

**Oh well…I have no idea why I'm writing this section anyway. P See ya! **


	2. Confrontation

**Chapter Two: Confrontation**

**Well…I guess the first chapter had uninteresting content to reckon with since there were no reviews on it. Even if there is no popularity, a writer must continue the story. Here is Chapter No. 2.**

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**Chapter Two**

The white-red priestess hurried along the dirt path in the forest as her senses created the direction of the Shikon Jewel. There was no time to lose. It could be a demon, or even a greedy human who would want to keep it for their own benefit. Little did Kikyo know that someone was watching her hurry along the brown dirt path from a branch above.

_I wonder who has taken the Shikon Jewel…_

As the priestess made her way following the precious stone, the lone figure followed her discreetly as she detected the path of the Shikon Jewel. The sacred item would be anywhere in the forest, but full of _youkai_s to take it for increasing their powers.

Kumi continued to take her path as the sun began to shine more brightly. It was closer to noon, and it would not be long before she would have reached the town. As the sole of her feet bore the brunt of the hard ground with the weight of her baskets, it was becoming exhausting to walk as the baskets began to droop lower and lower onto the ground.

A group of masked men made their appearance in front of the peasant woman's path. She widened her eyes as she took a step back.

"W-what d-do you w-want-t?" She trembled as she tripped behind a small stone. As Kumi lay on the floor, she looked frightened as the masked men surrounded her. "I-I have nothing t-to p-pass you-u."

"A likely story," said one of the men stretching out his hand. "Now pass it over!"

"What is-s i-it?"

"Stop pretending like you didn't know!" Another man shouted at her. "We want the _Shikon no Tama_."

"I-I d-don't h-have-e w-what y-you w-want!"

"Hey boss," one of the masked men raised in his hand a violet jewel from one of Kumi's baskets. "Looks like we found it."

"Well well," came the sarcastic tone from the leader. "It looks like you lied to us. Now prepare to die!" He raised out a sword from its sheath as it prepared to rain a blow on the poor helpless peasant, still lying on the floor from the bad fall.

"Stop there!" An arrow hit one of the men as it pinned him to a tree with swiftness. The leader of the squad of masked men turned to look at the attacker. Before him was a young woman who looked barely twenty with her red _hakama _pants and her white _hakui_ top. In her hands was a bow, with another arrow prepared to be fired at another man. "Release that woman."

"So…" the voice trailed off as he took steps towards her. "So this is the priestess who was said to protect the jewel." He responded sinisterly as he held a violet jewel in his hand. The priestess aimed her bow at him as he raised up the jewel, which was turning darker as corruption began to fill it. "I can see how well this _miko _is doing with the jewel."

"You!" She retorted back angrily. "Leave the woman alone. She has nothing to do with the jewel."

"Let's see if you can catch it then!"

His sudden reply was immediately followed by himself brandishing the long metal sword at Kikyo. "If you defeat me, I'll pass up the jewel," came the leader's challenge to the protector of the Shikon Jewel. "If not you'll die by my sword then."

"Very well," Kikyo closed her eyes and re-opened them as she continued to stare at her challenger. "I accept your challenge then. Prepare to concede defeat!"

Kikyo took an arrow and instantly shot it at the leader. However, her efforts came to naught as he swiftly blocked it off with a skill of his sword. The rest of his men had drawn out their swords too, showing that it was not a fair challenge after all.

"Four against one?" Kikyo sneered at her opponents. She knew she would have to defeat all of them in order for her to retrieve the jewel. "I shall make it fair then." As swift as her archery went, three arrows shot from her bow instantly which pinned the minions to nearby trees instead. The leader was incensed as he noticed that his unfair fight had become one of a proper one-to-one challenge.

"Look! A _youkai _behind you!" The leader exclaimed as he pointed behind Kikyo. Falling for his trick, the young priestess turned behind, only to turn back to see her enemy throwing dirt at her eyes. "That was a great struggle. Thank you, _miko-sama_."

_Damn it! I fell for that lowly bandit's trick…_

As she purged her eyes of the dirt, Kikyo shook head to see that the peasant was long gone. She had properly being frightened out of her life that she had left one basket with fast footprints markings in the dirt path. Shaking her head once more and closing her eyes, she began to meditate to locate the item meant to be protected. Her eyes widened as soon as she had closed them.

_Demons…they are nearby…!_

With her bow and arrows, Kikyo made a rush deep into the array of trees away from the dirt path. A big clearing greeted her as she made her way through. Her eyes met with horror as she saw a gory scene greet her. The archer took a slow walk to the sight with much hesitation. Her challengers had all been slain, except for one who left with only a trail of blood. Their innards had been torn open, or either impaled with a seemingly powerful weapon.

_This is cannot be done by humans…It must be caused by youkai…_

As soon as she touched the violated bodies, she could sense a powerful aura of demons in the area. Wrong. It was the aura of a demon, a rather powerful demon. It must have been this demon who could have managed to slay humans like that.

"Alright, come out of your hiding," Kikyo shouted as her voice echoed throughout the clearing. "I know you have the Shikon Jewel with you."

Her request was to be granted through the arrival of a seemingly powerful demon. A strong wind greeted her as it blew back her clothing and hair. She could feel its presence coming as its aura grew stronger and stronger. It was not long before a big furry creature met up with her with the size of two elephants. The aura of a _youkai _surrounded it.

"A weasel demon?" Kikyo spoke as she aimed her sacred arrow at it. "Powered by the Shikon Jewel I see."

"Kikyo-_san_, the protector of the _Shikon no Tama_," the large demon bellowed with a satanic voice. "What a careless protector by fate that Priestess Midoriko has chosen."

"Your story ends here, my friend," Kikyo raised her bow as she aimed the arrow at the demon. The arrow began to glow with a light purple aura as she held it longer. "And please refrain from touching the Shikon Jewel again."

The _youkai _pounced on the priestess, bent on eating her to increase its own powers. It was to no avail as she shot the purified arrow into its mouth. As it purified the demon within, the jewel within its body became lighter as its purification returned it to its pink colour. Within second, the _youkai _had exploded into several pieces as such with the irony that its size alone could kill the _miko_. A small tiny pink jewel floated down as it entered the palm of the priestess. Placing inside her _hakui_, Kikyo shook her head and made a sign of prayer as she looked at the slain humans on the emerald grass in the clearing.

"Have a safe journey on the afterlife," she whispered as she walked in the direction of the village. Looking at the sky again, the Sun had shifted across from left to right. It had been past noon now, which was probably time to return to the village.

_The villagers will worry if I do not return…_

The priestess walked hurriedly back in the direction of the village through the shortcut, which was to cross the many clearings in the forest. Having forgotten that she should have brought the demon back with her to put into the bone eaters well, Kikyo simply melted into the green forest, not noticing that the slain weasel could regenerate itself back…

The lone figure perched on the branches on one tree by the side of a clearing looked as Kikyo made her way across the clearing back home. It was the perfect time to strike, and also the right timing to take the Shikon Jewel with him as well.

Kikyo strolled across the green foliage as she held the pink jewel with her. It had been a long day for her already and probably the right time for her to rest. No demon was going to get her for today, or else they would expect something undesirable.However, there was a bad feeling that something inevitable was going to happen.

The presence of a demon filled her sense as Kikyo turned round to see one lunging at her instantly. With her talent in archery, she bound it to a tree instantly with several arrows at once, pinning the _youkai _to the trunk by its clothes. It was not her day, and another demon had spoilt her day. The priestess grabbed her arrow from her pouch and stretched against the bowstring it aimed at the _youkai _heart. Suddenly, Kikyo raised down her bow.

_He doesn't really look like a demon…but has a demon's aura…_

This demon was indeed much different from the rest. He did have white hair like certain demons did have. The pupils of his eyes were demon too, for they had the demonic color of yellowish gold. Two white ears also emerged from his head, which was the sign of a demon. It was rather strange too, for this demon had a human face instead of a demon's which had marks on its face. Even he looked like one who did not have a true form. Quietly as possible, Kikyo whispered to herself.

_The strangest demon I ever seen…Maybe he's a half-demon…_

Placing her arrow back its pouch, Kikyo lowered her bow and turned back to the direction of the village, leaving her pinned foe behind on the tree.

"Hey you bitch!" She could hear his young voice. This demon was probably no less than her age too. "Come back here!"

"Why do you I should?"

"Weren't you going to kill me, bitch?" this demon was persistent. "Go ahead! Kill me!"

"Enough," Kikyo replied as she turned behind to see the pinned creature. "You're a waste of arrows anyway." She heard silence after that. The priestess continued her path as she traveled further from her foe.

"Come back here, you wench!" She heard the cursing words from his foul mouth. This demon was really a rookie only.

"Oh yes," she turned behind to see the white-haired half-demon. "What's your name?"

"None of your business, damned priestess!"

"My name is not bitch, wench or damned priestess," Kikyo replied back with coldness. "Mine is Kikyo, what's yours?"

"Shan't tell you…" he froze when the priestess gave him the stare of his life, that of a cold hard stare. "I-Inu…I-Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha," she stopped to tell the _hanyou_. "I believe we will meet again." As soon as she had finished her words, Kikyo began her walk into the clearing again. It was already getting late for the early spring sun was already setting, casting the color of the sky into an orange one.

The half-demon pinned to the tree could do nothing except throw curses at her.

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**Hehe…that's all. Goodbye for now!**

**Glossary:**

**_Hanyou _: Half-demon**

**_Hakui _: A Japanese top for the traditional dress.**


	3. The Same Old Thing

**Chapter Three: The Same Old Thing**

**Well…Thank you for your reviews. I'm glad that one of you reviewers managed to point out that there is no elastic string for a bow. And to comment, elastic does not mean to me that I'm incorporating modern items. As long as there is a story, it is worth reading it. Anyway, I'll correct that, and please continue to give me critical reviews. (e.g. warn me if the character is too OOC) **

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**Chapter Three**

The sky had darkened. It was already night. Inuyasha lowered his head as the arrows continued to stay firmly in the trunk, which also continued to pin his clothes to the tree. It was to no avail. The arrows were firmly embedded into the tree bark, charmed with a certain spell that made it difficult to remove.

_Damn bitch of a priestess…How dare she pin me to this tree for the night…_

The white-haired half-demon continued to look down at the grass near the half-submerged roots of the tree. His white dog-like ears twitched suddenly as he looked up to hear the source of the sudden sound. He stared at the darkness throughout the clearing through his yellowish-gold irises. Two dark figures appeared in front sharp fall on the ground, she was cushioned by the emerald grass at the bottom of the tree. In her fall, three arrows fell off the trunk as her priestess powers allowed her to release them. probably around fifty years in human years but seven or eight in demon years. "What demon is this? He looks human yet looks _youkai_."

"Oh," came a reply of a hostile tone. The creature pinned to the tree was about to hear the same thing again. "This is a heathen of our society, a beast with half-demon half-human looks. A shameful result of a human and demon."

"Who are you calling beast, wretch?" The impulsive nature of Inuyasha began to take effect again. He started to growl, which made the younger demon move behind his parent. "I'm better than you damned _youkai_s!" The _hanyou _could only hear the seductive chuckling of a female demon as the dark figures began to melt into the darkness of the clearing once again. The half-human lowered his head once again.

_Beast, eh? I'll show you someday when I get my hands on that jewel…_

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The sun shone brightly as it marked the start of a new day. Farmers began to emerge from their wooden houses to tend to their livestock. Kikyo emerged from her hut as she opened the door of her hut, allowing the sunlight to enter her humble abode.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu Kikyo-sama,_" came the respect from one of the villagers. The priestess gave a bow in return. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," the priestess replied back with warmth to her fellow villagers. "Now please go along with your work." The villager nodded his head and went back to his job.

"_Oneesan…_" Kikyo heard her little sister call her as she turned back to see a just awakened little girl before her. "Did you offend someone?"

"I do not offend others," her elder sister replied in confusion. Kneeling down to look at her sibling, Kikyo questioned, "Why do you ask?"

"I couldn't sleep much last night."

"And why's that?"

"Someone was shouting your name with his words full of foul language," Kaede confessed as she rubbed her sleepy eye. "Very loud, _oneesan_."

_Could it be that mad demon…half-demon…?_

Turning back to little Kaede, the priestess placed a hand on her tiny shoulder, reassuring her of safety. "The villagers need firewood," she spoke as she took up a firewood holder and placed it on her shoulders, complemented with her bow and arrow too. "We need to hurry before any demon comes in by noon as soon as the magical barrier around the village is at its weakest then."

The one-eyed girl nodded, following her kin into the woods. In the distance, little did the pair know that they were been watched. A demonic figure peered out of one of the trees' thick leaves.

"So the magic barrier is at its weakest at noon," it hissed as it stared at the direction of the _Shikon-Tama _shrine perched on the hill. "The most dangerous time is the most perfect time, eh?"

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Kaede walked through the clearing. Her elder sister had told her to pick firewood or small twigs to the full. The morning sun was still shining brightly, with the mild temperature throughout the area. The one-eyed girl looked everywhere for twigs hidden in the grass as she held them with one arm against her daisy pattern kimono. In the distance, something caught her eye.

"W-what in the world is this?" Kaede looked as she observed the creature pinned to the tree by five arrows through its red kimono. True, she had seen a _youkai _before, but never one this strange such as the one stuck onto the trunk. The demon-like creature seemed to be deep in slumber with its head leaning to one side. Only the most significant that caught Kaede's eye was its two white furry ears sticking out of its long white mane.

"Is he a dog or human?" The little girl climbed onto it by grabbing the arrows. Finding the ears too attractive, Kaede began to rub them. Indeed, the ears were soft and warm but always seemed to twitch with every small sound made. "Half, I guesssssss…."

Kaede lost her footing as she began to fall. In her panic, she grabbed the creature's two ears for dear life. It was to no avail, for her weight along was dragging her down. The creature began to stir.

Inuyasha woke up as he felt pain shoot through his head. As he opened his eyes, he saw a young girl's face with an eye patch over one holding on to his ears. And it was getting more painful as Kaede continued to hold on to the ears.

Kaede lost her hold as she stared at the scary yellowish-golden eyes of Inuyasha. A sharp fall on the ground, she was cushioned by the emerald grass at the bottom of the tree. In her fall, three arrows fell off the trunk as her priestess powers allowed her to release them. With a strong pull, Inuyasha pulled off the remaining arrows. At instance he jumped onto the ground staring hard at the young girl, baring his sharp fangs. Kaede wore a frightened expression on her face.

"You stupid brat! How dare you grab my ears for support!" He shouted at her angrily while rubbing his two stretched ears. "If you were an adult, I'll rip out your ears immediately!"

"Y-you c-can t-talk-k?" Kaede was surprised at Inuyasha's sudden scare, and his piercing demonic eyes which stared at hers. The _hanyou _did not answer, he continued to growl angrily at her.

"What's going on, Kaede?" Kikyo walked into the clearing, noticing that her sister's safety was being jeopardized by a half-demon she had pinned to the tree a day ago.

"Oh? It's the damned wench of a priestess again," Inuyasha got up from his aggressive crawl towards Kaede. Suddenly, he grabbed the little girl's small hand who squealed in pain as a response. "Give me the Shikon Jewel, or I'll chop this girl into many pieces!" He showed his sharp claws.

Kikyo did not reply. Instead, she walked closer to the _hanyou_ and Kaede who was still squealing in pain. As she came nearer to them, Inuyasha took a step further with Kaede having to follow as he held her arm tightly.

"If you come any nearer," he threatened as he continued to step backwards. "I'll kill this little girl!"

"You wouldn't dare," Kikyo spoke calmly as she continued her stroll towards them.

"I will!" Inuyasha was persistent. "Give me the Shikon Jewel and I will release her!"

"Oh really?" She was sarcastic in her rejoinder. "Then prove it."

"_Oneesan_!" Kaede shouted back suddenly. "I don't want to die here…!" She only got a cold stare from her sister. Kikyo continued to walk towards Inuyasha. In a moment, the priestess quickly took out her bow and arrow, aiming at the half-demon's heart.

"Kill me, and this brat dies with me!" Inuyasha suddenly picked up Kaede and placed it before him as a shield. "Now give me the Shikon Jewel, you bitch!"

Kikyo placed her bow and arrow down. As soon she did so, the _hanyou _placed the child down too. In a swift moment and without Inuyasha sensing it, the priestess came up to him and gave him a tight slap on the cheek with a strong hand.

"Despicable jerk," she stared at Inuyasha hard who had come down with shock. To think that he had been slapped by a girl for a first time, it was a complete humiliation. "To think you could use a child to shield you from the dangers."

"You wench!" Inuyasha was still hard on fighting with the priestess. "Kill me then." As he loosened his grip on Kaede, she ran back to her sister, who held her by the hand.

"I have no wish to kill you," she replied. "You are just a waste of arrows, like what I said the day before. Now begone!" As soon as she had finished her words, Kikyo took Kaede by the hand again, and picked up the firewood holder which had been filled to the brim. It was time to return home, and the Sun's position showed that it was near the centre of the sky.

_He wouldn't dare to attack back…He's just childish…_

Kikyo's thinking was to come true. As soon as she had walked near the side of the clearing, she felt a force tugging back her red _hakama_. It was no other than Inuyasha himself. The dog half-demon was biting her clothing and tugging back, with him growling too. He stared at the priestess' expressionless face with an angry stare.

"Don't act childish."

It was no use. Inuyasha continued to tug at her _hakama_. At this rate, her garment was going to tear. It was to be true too. As soon as the _hanyou _tugged strongly at the clothing, it gave way as it broke. The lower back of her right leg was exposed.

"Inuyasha you idiot!" Kikyo was getting crosser. He had become innocent-looking after realizing his grave mistake. The priestess and her sister ran off as she turned behind to stare angrily at the half-demon. "You'll pay for this!"

"Bitch! I'll get the Shikon Jewel from you!"

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"_Oneesan_," Kaede asked her humiliated sister. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," she replied as they emerged from the woods to find the villagers fighting another _youkai _again with their rakes and sickles. Putting her hand to her forehead, she shook her head again.

"Another demon coming to take the Shikon Jewel again," she spoke as she dropped her firewood holder, and rushed towards the demon with her bow and arrow. "It's the same old thing again."

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**Okay, done with this chapter. See ya someday again…for you reviewers! ;)**

**Glossary:**

**_Ohayou gozaimasu _: Polite Japanese greeting for 'Good Morning'**

**_-sama : _the greeting to exalt a person as someone of glory or importance etc**


	4. Unexpected Encounter

**Chapter Four: Unexpected Encounter**

**I guess I was out of ideas for a while. Anyway, this story still goes on. Enjoy at your own choice!**

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**Chapter Four**

Kikyo ran to the area where the _youkai _was attacking. In its path lay a trail of heavy debris that compromised of destroyed houses and dead villagers. As soon as she had reached the exact spot, in front of her eyes were a group of villagers trying to fight back the demon with their weapons which seemed like a simple task for the _youkai _to defeat.

"Kikyo-_sama_!" The demon turned its head towards the priestess who had just returned with her sister from the woods. "The Shikon Jewel is mine already!" In its hand was the precious jewel, which made Kikyo gasp.

_I'm never going to forgive Inuyasha for delaying me…!_

"Stand back, Kaede," the priestess turned to her little sister. "Go hide somewhere so that you won't be injured." Her sibling only nodded willingly, running off into the woods again. Turning to the demon once again, she raised her bow and arrow swiftly at the enemy again.

"Give up the Jewel," she threatened the _youkai _with her bow and arrow. "Or prepare to meet a tragic death, _saru-youkai_."

"Why would I be intimidated by your threats?" The monkey demon spoke as he popped the Shikon Jewel into his mouth, while laughing away at the priestess still aiming the arrow at him. "Now I can defeat you with my _youki _powering this jewel!" The demon was beginning to grow more powerful as its eyes began to glow red.

"You leave me no choice…" Kikyo spoke cunningly while looking at the enhanced demonic shape before her. "…but to destroy you!" She prepared to release her hold on the arrow that was already being held by the bow-string on high tension.

"Ha! Are you that mighty now?" The _youkai _sneered as it picked the legendary priestess up with a swoop of his hand, lifting her from the ground. "You'll be a worthy meal for me, and enhance my powers further."

Kikyo continued to look at the demon with disgust. Its handgrip continued to tighten on her body as it continued to wrap around her body. Her enemy only gave an evil churchyard laugh as it prepared to bring her closer to his mouth. The demon had grown tremendously in size by the power of the sacred stone within his body. Knowing herself in a dangerous situation, Kikyo began to close her eyes and chant a prayer that made her glow pink. She started to release an aura that would make the demon release its grip on her. There was no effect.

_This must be the work of the Shikon Jewel…it makes the youkai immune…_

"Stop that heck!" Kikyo opened her eyes to hear a familiar voice again. It was Inuyasha, the person who bitten off part of her _hakama _a while ago. "Who told you that Shikon Jewel was yours???"

"A _hanyou_, eh?" The _youkai _began to laugh at the dog half-demon who had suddenly made its appearance below the large demon. "A mere half-breed freak coming to defeat me?"

"Who are you calling freak, pathetic _youkai_?" Came Inuyasha's sharp reply. "The Shikon Jewel will be mine before you know it!"

"Let's see if you can defeat me first!" The monstrous demon snapped back as it slammed its giant hand onto where Inuyasha was, causing the nearby villagers to tremble as tremors caused by the impact went to them. Swift as he was, the _hanyou _had dodged the deadly blow. "Impressive," came the demon's reply. "For a half-human beast."

"I'm not a beast, you ass!" Inuyasha cried out angrily. Kikyo could sense that his rage was building as his tone became more hostile, and while dodging the demon's large hand-blows to the ground. "You are the one!"

"Then? A heathen of our society?" The final blow came onto the half-demon. "That's a better word for freaks like you out there who are not supposed to exist in this world."

"Inuyasha," the priestess spoke calmly while being in the demon's grip still. "The only way you can defeat this _saru-youkai _is by attacking and severing its tail." There was no reply, with only an impulsive _hanyou _lunging towards the tail of the demon. It was fail, certainly, for the _youkai _simply hit Inuyasha with its strong, big tail.

"Eh, wench," the person in red asked rudely. "How do you suppose to attack his wretched tail?" Kikyo looked down at the former. She continued to wear an expressionless face.

"Oh, don't you know?" She replied sarcastically. "Don't you _hanyou_s have special techniques of defeating _youkai_s before?" Kikyo continued to remain calm in the midst of all, while allowing the villagers to look at her with concern still.

"You bitch!" Inuyasha grew furious at the jewel protector's coolness. "Don't you want to be saved?" He showed his claws in her direction, only to realize what she had meant.

_Can these claws defeat a youkai with enhanced Shikon no Tama powers?_

"_Sankon Tessou!_" Inuyasha cried out as he raised his claws, aiming at the tail. It took minutes for the demon to realize before he knew what was going to happen. Before he knew what was going on, the tail was severed with blood flying in all directions. With instance, the demon began to shrink as it suddenly released Kikyo from his grip, who fell onto the floor with a hard thud.

"_Onee-san!_" Kikyo heard Kaede's cry as the little sister ran towards her. "Are you alright?"

"Were you the one who got Inuyasha?"

"Er…yes," Kaede nodded shamefully as she lowered her head. "_Oneesan _was in danger so I could only get him…"

"That doesn't matter," Kikyo stared at the scene as Inuyasha had a facedown with the _saru-youkai_. With its tail torn off, it was impossible to return to the titanic size before. It was the weakness of the monkey demon. The _hanyou _stood opposite him on the dirt ground, the wind blow his hair and clothing sideward, having had a powerful battle with the demon.

"How did you…?" The _youkai _spoke as blood flowed from its mouth. Within seconds, it collapsed to the floor, with the sacred jewel flowing out as well. Inuyasha walked over to the corpse of the _youkai_, picking the dark purple jewel up.

"I suppose I've won the Shikon jewel over now…" he stopped in his speech as he turned his head to see a Kikyo aiming her bow and arrow at him.

"Take that thing off your hands, Inuyasha," she spoke, aiming an arrow at him. "One hit and I can end your life like that." Surprisingly, the person in red stopped and placed the jewel on the ground. The priestess lowered her bow down and returned the arrow to its pouch. She crossed over and picked up the Shikon jewel which turned back to a healthy pink as soon as it was in her hands.

"Why did put the jewel down?" Kikyo asked suspiciously to an Inuyasha who was returning back to the woods. His two white ears twitched as he turned behind.

"I'm not going to be pinned to the tree again," he replied seriously. "And I don't want to end my life just like that."

"That was your choice then," she replied with an ounce of coldness embedded in it. "I won't thank you." Kikyo continued back to the _Shikon-Tama _shrine as she began her steps up the stairs which led to the shrine that was perched on a hill.

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_Was it just the jewel or something else that made him came?_

Kikyo sat on her straw bed as she looked at the moonlit night sky which had its moonlight shining through the open window. Kaeder and her had just finished dinner and it was bedtime for it was rather unsafe to be out at night. She turned to the left to see that her little sister was already sleeping soundly.

_It is good to be a child…_

The fire continued to burn, which continued to light up part of the small hut. Kikyo continued to stay out of the window, wishing that the Shikon jewel was never there and she could just be a normal person. A person who disliked duty of course.

_I wonder where does Inuyasha live…_

Kikyo closed her eyes. Why was she thinking about the half-demon again? After all, he had only saved her. There was nothing great about his kind deed to her. Since he chose to interfere in her dealing with the demon, it was his problem whether he received a bout of gratitude or not.

The all-mighty priestess could do nothing except lay in her bed and attempting to get some rest from the comfort of her straw mattress.

_Maybe I'll find that half-demon tomorrow…_

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Kikyo woke up to hear the sound of rain. It was pouring heavy, but the sound was soothing enough to make one continue its slumber. As she peered out of her window before trying to close it a little to ensure water did not get in, there were villagers outside tending to their crops.

_Maybe it benefits the farmers…_

Taking out a wooden paper umbrella, she looked at her little sister in slumber before exiting her hut. The raindrops impacted with the ground strongly, producing the sounds of a heavy downpour. Kikyo waved back as the villagers tending to the fields greeted her.

Leaving behind the village on the plain, the priestess made her way up the slippery slope. It was certainly dangerous, but the grass had thankfully held back the muddy soil with their roots. The trees continued to look pleased as some of their leaves opened up to the rain. Kikyo began her task.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted to the trees, hoping he was there to hear her. "I have something to tell you." There was no reply. Showing an expression of displeasure, she continued to shout back. "I know you're cross because I was cold to you." Silence except that of the rain continued to ensue.

"Thanks for listening, Inuyasha," she replied. As soon as she was done, she hurried down the hill back to her hut. She had to wait until the rain was over before she could return to the hill.

Behind her back, a half-demon looked at her running down the hill, with his body entire soaked from the rain. He had also awoken from his slumber, disturbed by someone calling out his name.

"That wench really have two faces!" He snapped to himself.

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**Done! Hope I can think of more to write the next chapter! See ya guys soon!**

**Glossary:**

_Saru-youkai _: monkey demon

_Sankou Tessou _: Iron Reaver Soul Stealer (Inuyasha's claw attack as everyone knows it)


	5. The Meeting

**Chapter Five: The Meeting**

**If anyone hasn't noticed yet, this story is mostly centred on Kikyo and Inuyasha's relationships, but concentrates more on the former. Sorry to mislead those who thought this had to do with Kikyo's story only.**

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**Chapter Five**

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. The spring season was already ending, for the temperature was beginning to rise. The climate became more humid as the Sun continued to shine brightly on the village where Kikyo stayed. Countless demons had attempted to steal the Shikon Jewel during mid-spring but had their plans foiled by the sacred arrows of the priestess protector. Inuyasha, the half-demon himself, had also seemed to disappear too.

Kikyo walked through her village, carrying a bow in her arms. The intense heat of the Sun had caused a higher risk in her fellow villagers having heatstroke while tending to the budding fields. With a straw hat placed on her head, the priestess made her way to the top of the hill, where she had last spoken to the _hanyou _back in early spring.

"_Oneesan!_" She heard her little sibling call out her name from behind as she climbed the hill. "Are you going to join us?"

"Join you?" Kikyo turned to see her one-eyed sister. "Near the woods?"

Kaede nodded with a smile worn across her face. "We are playing ball over there," she pointed to a small clearing where a few children had already started their game by kicking a wooden ball. "Do you want to join?"

_I never played their games before…I wonder how it is played…_

The protector of the jewel slowly climbed to the top of the slope with her sister, holding her little hand. As soon as the children had seen her, they halted their fun activities. Instead, they ran to the priestess instead.

"_Kikyo-san!_" The children shouted her name as they joyfully ran to her. They crowded around her as she came close to them. "How lucky of you to come here! We were just starting!"

_These children treat me more equally than the adults…_

Kikyo gave a slight smile as she loosened up in front of the young villagers. Slowly, she placed down her bow and arrow sack. The children pulled her hands enthusiastically as she followed them happily.

"_Miko-san _is willing to play with us?" Some of the children inquired. Kikyo looked back at them happily, showing a rare smile that not even the parents of the children had seen. In between children, she was treated like a normal person. In her relaxed state, the priestess continued to play with the children as they started to have a slow Japanese dance on the grass.

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Not far from where Kikyo was playing with the young villagers, two white ears twitched as it stuck out from a tiny green bush. Their owner stood up having picked up sounds of humans dancing happily in the afternoon. With his unlimited energy, Inuyasha jumped onto a tree as he jumped from branch to branch, finding the source of the sound.

He soon found the source of the happy voices sounding away. On a grass patch, the priestess herself was playing with the children. His nose sensed the scent of the Shikon Jewel, deep within her _hakui _top. Lying on the branch of one tree, he quietly observed the mini party that was going on.

_If only I could be just like them…_

"Look up there!" One of the children exclaimed which startled the dog _hanyou. _"There is that weird person up there on the tree again." Inuyasha looked down to see that the entire group of children and Kikyo were looking at him from the grass below.

The priestess suddenly felt relieved to see him. After all, he had made himself scarce for the most of the spring season. She was sure that he did not return just for the sake of the jewel hidden inside her top.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo called out to the half-demon. "What are you doing up there?"

"None of your business, priestess."

"Very well," the priestess re-surfaced her cold shell. "Then stay up there." She looked at the children, and showed her inner self back again. "Let's go somewhere," she spoke to them. The children only nodded happily.

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The Sun had begun to set. The temperature was now cooling as the sky turned from a bright blue to that of a rosy pink. It was already late, and the children had returned home. Even Kaede returned to her hut first, allowing her sister to gain some peace while on the hilltop.

Kikyo sat down as she stared at the setting sun which had turned its glow orange. The wind blew against her, causing her ponytails to flow back. Her bow was on the floor, accompanied by its arrows. The sunset was too beautiful to miss after all. She could sense that someone was nearby.

"Inuyasha," she summoned the person who had seen her hours ago. "I know you are there. Come down." Her summon was to come through as the person came down near her and sat. Inuyasha came down beside her, sitting like a dog with his legs squatted and hands on the grass.

"Nice sunset, isn't it?" Kikyo spoke without looking at him. "It's too bad night will take over soon." There was no answer from the half-demon.

"Give me the jewel," the _hanyou _ordered suddenly as he continued to be stubborn. "I'm not interested in this sunset!"

"I will only give it to someone who uses it for a good purpose," she retorted calmly. "And I don't think you will fit into this category."

"Just give me the jewel, you bitch!"

"Inuyasha," the priestess turned this time to look at the half-human. "Do I look human to you?" The _inu-hanyou _stared at her for a while through his amber-coloured eyes. He continued to sit in the same position, the ears continuing to twitch for sounds.

"You're human anyway!" He shouted back the answer, wondering how she could suddenly ask an unrelated question. "Why? Are you an immortal?" He started laughing hysterically.

"Thank you for your answer," she continued to remain stable in her emotions. "Where did you go during these long periods?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Why not?" She responded to his crude remark. "So I guess you were away by the time the _saru-youkai _was thrown into the bone-eaters well?" There was no reply.

"Sorry," Inuyasha's ears responded as he turned to hear Kikyo's sudden apology. "For being rude to you the other time." There was still no reply from the half-demon although he had heard the apology.

"Bah! I do not deserve an apology from a high and mighty priestess!" Suddenly, a stomach growl came from within Inuyasha's abdomen. He heard a soft giggle from Kikyo, which was hard to come by too.

"I can only release such feelings to such people like you," she spoke softly, continuing to look at the sky. "And I'm sure that you must be feeling hungry too."

"It's none of your business, wench!"

"Very well then," Kikyo got up from her seat on the grass patch, carrying up her weapons. "It's time that I returned to the village." The sky was darkening as the orange had darkened into a dark blue. She quickly got down the hill, leaving a still sitting Inuyasha to stare at her as she got down.

_Is this the priestess I know as the cold and calm one…?_

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The night was greeted with another bout of showers from the skies. A little better than the heavier downpours of the early spring, it continued to make sounds that promoted sleep all the better. Kikyo looked at the dark sky, which had covered the crescent moon that was supposed to shine that night. Kaede had fallen asleep from the activities she had in the day.

_I wonder…Is he okay out there in the rain?_

Kikyo looked at the falling raindrops as they splattered onto the floor outside her hut. Inuyasha could not have probably built a shelter for himself on a tree for it was too unstable for a branch to support one. Remembering how he had humiliated her that time, Kikyo washed her hands of Inuyasha and continued her sleep.

_Inuyasha may not have illnesses, but after all he's a hanyou…_

This thinking in her head made her woke up. Her conscience was right. Inuyasha had human blood in him, which was right to say that he could be vulnerable to human ailments too. Eager to know how he was for no reason, the priestess took her wooden umbrella and went out with her footgear and without tying her hair.

Kikyo climbed up the hill, with the water trickling down the slope entering her feet and dirtying them. No matter how dark it was, she had the priestess powers to sense things in the dark too. With this power, she could sense that the _hanyou _was nearby.

"This rain is irritating," she heard some cursing from a bush. "And it's so cold too! God damn it!" She heard more vulgar cursing from the bush. No doubt it was Inuyasha's voice himself, followed by a bout of sneezes and coughs in the bush.

"Stop hiding, Inuyasha," Kikyo spoke to the person in the bush. Two white ears once again emerged from the bush, followed by the full figure of the person. The half-demon had been soaked to the skin, with his silvery hair sticking to his face as well, with only his eyes to serve as light. "I know you could sense me."

"Bitch! Why must you come at this time to disturb me?" He shouted angrily at her. "Can't you see what has happened?"

_He must have caught a chill to be unable to sense anything…_

The creature before the priestess gave another sneeze, direct at Kikyo herself. Using her hand to block off his sneeze 'attack', she returned to look at the _hanyou_. "That wasn't very nice," she remarked sarcastically.

"I can sneeze anywhere I want!" He shouted back. Truly, he still had enough energy to continue ranting insults at the priestess to get his goal. "It is still none of your business!"

"Suit youself," said the priestess in response. "But you have caught a chill, and it is no minor problem."

"My body heals quickly," Inuyasha retorted impulsively. "I have no need of _ningen _stuff to keep myself comfortable."

"Whatever," she sneered back at the half-demon, and grabbed his wet arm suddenly. "You'll need somewhere to rest anyway."

Kikyo walked down the hill slope as she took a cursing Inuyasha back to the village through a spell that prevented him from leaving her grip on his arm. The half-demon however was willingly accepting the priestess' offer deep inside.

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**Okay done. Sucky chapter anyway, isn't it? Looks like Kikyo got rather OOC. Anyway, until then bye!**

**Glossary:**

**_Miko-san _: Priestess**

**_Ningen _: Human**


	6. A Visitor

**Chapter Six: A Visitor**

**Okay, back with some inspiration for this chapter. And thanks for all your reviews, whether you're a Kikyo-hater or a neutral reviewer. There will be more action/adventure rather than the romance in this story since it belongs mainly to Kikyo. Enjoy folks!**

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**Chapter Six**

The Sun returned its glow on a new morning. The birds continued to sing as the flowers begin to open to the rising sunlight. It was a brand new day again. Kikyo opened her eyes to find that Kaede had gone out to play with the village children already. She looked around for the wet person she had brought home to help him feel more comfortable from his cough. He had also vanished.

_Perhaps he had returned to the forest right before daybreak…_

Getting up from her bed, she proceeded to tie her hair into a short ponytail. As she took her bow to have her daily check on the Shikon Jewel, an engraving caught her eye. It was etched into the wooden wall which supported the hut.

"A-ri-ga-ta-a?" She tried to make out the faint words carved on the board. Only the first three _manyogana _characterswere readable to the priestess, while the last two had a different look. It was no doubt. This half-demon was surprisingly literate, and of course from another region too. "He probably didn't practice how to write," she chuckled to herself. "But this is the first literate demon I have ever seen."

Exiting her hut Kikyo looked at a game of ball again, with cheerful children involved in it. She gave a small smile as the young villagers continued their game enthusiastically. She continued her walk to the stone stairs that led to the shrine perched on the green hill. Climbing up the stone stairs, the priestess made her way up to reveal the shrine in all its glory. Today was the same as yesterday. A small breeze simply blew through the area, rustling the leaves that had fallen onto the stone path that led to the shrine.

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Kikyo opened the wooden door. Before her eyes laid the glowing Shikon Jewel held by a wooden holder with a string of bird feathers attached to it, but its glow had started to switch to violet. The Shikon Jewel had begun to lose its purified state. Knowing what she had to do, the priestess entered the sacred room of the shrine and picked up the precious stone. As soon as it had touched her porcelain skin, the colour of the jewel returned to a healthy pink.

"The protector of the Shikon Jewel, I suppose?" Kikyo heard a male voice from behind. The only light came from the opened wooden doors. A dark figure stood firmly near it, revealing its existence.

"Who are you, may I ask?" The priestess questioned, putting the jewel back onto where it was held firmly. Her eyes turned back to see the dark figure, only to notice that he wore an official's hat.

"An official from the capital?" Kikyo was in shock to see how a high-ranking person could have come from afar. "What brings you here?" At the moment, he raised a block of gold that displayed two characters recognizable to any literate person.

_Ashikaga? Is this person a youkai in disguise or just a ningen?_

"The Shogun-_sama _himself has heard of the Shikon Jewel," came the monotonous voice of the official. "And he requests that it is sent to the capital immediately to be placed in a sacred temple."

"How can you prove that you're from the capital?" Kikyo questioned her visitor, suspicious that it could be a trap set by _youkai_. After all, some had the power to deceive other officials. "You could be a _youkai _who have set an illusion!"

"This alone," the reply came with a touch of coldness embedded in his tone. The official pointed to the golden seal. "Can disprove your suspicions, Kikyo-_miko_."

"So you know my name?"

"We have our sources."

"I will accede to your request then," the priestess continued her game, picking up the jewel which remained to glow pink. "But only if I follow you to the capital."

"Very well then," the reply came back. "You have a week to prepare your journey." With that, the dark figure made his way out of the temple, followed by the sounds of the marching of soldiers escorting. Kikyo remained standing, clutching the sacred jewel. She knew that it was a trap, but something disastrous could happen if she refused to hand over the Shikon Jewel.

The priestess stood there for a very long time on the wooden floor of the shrine main room.

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The Sun was burning hot on the baked ground. It had been two days since the peculiar visit by the unexpected visit of the official from the capital. And it was far more obvious that the all mighty warlords of warlords had wanted the jewel.

_If I don't go, they might cause something devastating to the village…_

Kikyo thought her way through as she walked to the nearby waterfall. It was a few hours after noon, and the Sun continued to warm up the entire area. To prevent any funny events from the officials that could come, she had kept the sacred item with her all the time. The priestess peeled her outer garments off her body as she stood by the river bank. Only left with her undergarments, she proceeded to enter the river, dipping her feet into the water.

The _hanyou _was nearby. He had come near to the river for water to quench his thirst. Kikyo, noticing that there was no one watching her, took off her undergarments. Folding them into a stack, the _miko _started to pace towards the cascading waterfall.

Inuyasha bended down at the river bank. Submerging his mouth in the water, the half-demon started drinking the fresh water of the river when a powerful scent alerted his nose. The priestess was near, which meant that the Shikon Jewel was nearby too. His ears twitched as they detected the sound of someone under the waterfall; the sound of someone bathing.

Determined to steal the sacred gem from the priestess, Inuyasha stopped his drinking and jumped to the spot where the scent of Kikyo was at its strongest. Near the river laid a bundle of clothes, with the dyes of red and white. No doubt it was the protector of the Shikon Jewel.

"Where is that jewel?" He whispered to himself as he searched through the clothing, crumpling them as well. He sniffed the outer garments, and the undergarments of the priestess to get the jewel. It smelled good to him, however. A wet pebble hit on Inuyasha's head suddenly. He turned up to look at an angry Kikyo who was covering her top with both her hands. On one of her hands was the sacred jewel where it hung from it through the string of bird feathers. "What was that for, bitch?"

"Inuyasha," she began her speech of sarcasm. "I never knew you were a pervert. To think you enjoy sniffing women's undergarments!"

"Hah! You don't have any weapons with you anyway!" Inuyasha shouted back angrily. "Now give me the jewel!"

"You're still persistent, are you?" The priestess spoke aggressively. "The answer is still no, especially to a beast who even has the blood of a pervert within."

"Don't push your luck, wench!" He fought back angrily, noticing that Kikyo had called him a beast like all the other _youkai _had. "No perverts will even want to see your deformed and ugly body!" His reply was another pebble thrown onto his head. Inuyasha began to growl at the priestess for hitting him.

"Wretched priestess!" Inuyasha shouted out to Kikyo who had returned to bathing under the waterfall. "This is the final straw!" Removing his top to enter the water, the half-demon entered the water to wrestle away the _Shikon no Tama_. He was to come close to her, when he heard some screams from the back. The dog half-demon turned to see several village women standing there at the bank, with buckets to collect the fresh water.

"_Youkai!_" One of the women shouted. As she looked on to the waterfall, she shouted, "Kikyo's under the waterfall." The women started to stare at the _inu-hanyou_.

"Back off, village wretches!" Inuyasha gave his common crude threat. "I only want the Shikon Jewel from that wretched _miko_!"

"Trying to take advantage of my _Onee-san_?" A young girl popped out from the crowd of women. It was Kaede, who had arrived to see her sister. She threw a small stone at Inuyasha. "You pervert!" Followed by her stone attack, the other women began raining stones down on the half-demon, who could only block them with his bare arms.

"That's it! You brat!" He growled angrily at the women. Unable to retrieve his kimono top, and under-shirt, Inuyasha ran into the other side of the river, with stones still being thrown at him.

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Kikyo paddled to the river bank. She had completed her bathing and the rest of the women had barely started theirs. As she dressed in her clothes, she noticed that a certain someone had left his red garments. There were holes in it, probably made by her sacred arrows that had pierced it. The priestess took it up in her hands and proceeded home, placing the sacred jewel in her _hakui _again.

Little did the priestess know that she was being watched as she made her way back to the village. The Sun had turned a little orange, which signified the end of another day. Kikyo's head was full of thoughts.

_I have only five days left…_

As she walked back to her village, two amber eyes peered at her from a bush, with two white ears sticking out of it again. The priestess took no notice as she continued her brisk walk back to the village, preparing to put the jewel back into its shrine.

"Damm that Kikyo!" The creature in the bush cursed her. "I'll get that Shikon Jewel someday!"

However, Kikyo was to expect some company that night rather than the _hanyou_…

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**Okay, another sucky chapter. Time for some action next chapter then. See ya all of you reviewers soon!**

**Glossary:**

**_Manyogana _: Japanese system of writing that time for writing syallables that cannot be represented in Chinese characters.**

**_Ashikaga _: The Shogun during Kikyo's era. (15th century)**


	7. Attack of the Ninja

**Chapter Seven: Attack of the Ninja**

**Well….this chapter is not much of an expectation too. But just go through and read it at your own will.**

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**Chapter Seven**

The night had turned dark once again. It was indeed dark, literally. The new moon had risen over the black sky, and only stars seemed to be the only light for a walking Kikyo. Feeling guilty for taking away that _inu-hanyou_'s _hakui_, she walked up to the frontier of the woods surrounding her petite village. Since the night was almost pitch-black, the priestess held a paper lantern as she walked up the hill.

_I can't seem to sense Inuyasha around this area…_

She looked at the darkness that gaped before her, the pitch-black that had surrounded the trees that stood near. Inuyasha's aura was not present, with only silence to accompany the _miko_. Having a gut feeling that he was in the woods, she decided to call for him.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted to the half-demon. "Are you there?" There was a silence for a while as her voice echoed through the forest.

"What do you want again, priestess?"

"I have your _hakui _here with me," she replied back to the echoing voice of the sharp sound that she had heard as a reply. "I've heard your voice. Where are you now?"

"Go away wench," came the rude response from the darkness.

"My name is not wench," Kikyo replied back calmly. "Come out of the trees for a while."

"Just get lost, bitch!" A sharp reply came down from the trees again. "Throw those clothes on the grass and get lost!" Kikyo knew that she was furious within herself, but continued to maintain her calm appearance.

"Very well," she replied back as a normal person would do. Kikyo placed down the folded red _hakui _and the white undershirt on the grass. "Come and get it yourself. I'm returning home, farewell."

Two brown irises watched Kikyo walk away from the spot. As she held her paper lantern, the priestess began her descend down from the hill. The light became fainter and fainter. Knowing that it was his time to take back his clothes, Inuyasha got down from the trees. He quickly slipped them on before he felt a presence behind him.

"Inuyasha?" The half-demon turned to his back to see that Kikyo had suddenly re-appeared behind him. For the first time, he saw the priestess give out a small gasp. "You're not Inuyasha, are you?"

"Yes I am him, and what's your problem?" The rude teenage demon replied back to her to reveal his appearance through the light of the paper lantern. His hair was the colour of ebony, and his mouth was full of normal-looking teeth instead of fangs. Human ears now stuck to the sides of his head, instead of the two usual ones sticking out of the top of his head.

_He seems to exude a charm when looking human…_

"Is this a disguise?" Kikyo interrogated the boy before her, picking some strands of his black, flowing hair. "Or are you really a human now?"

"Stop being ignorant, priestess!" He slapped her hand away quickly. "You know all about it."

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"So the curse of the new moon is real?" Kikyo questioned Inuyasha, who was seated beside her on the grass. "So it applies to all _hanyou_s?"

"You're a good actress, aren't you?" He snapped back. "Snap out of it…already…." He stopped upon seeing that Kikyo had stopped listening to his nonsense. Instead, she was looking at the new moon, which although appeared dark, had a certain effect on her focus. Inuyasha saw a face on the priestess never seen much by others, a face of sorrow instead of an emotionless one. "Hey priestess, don't cry!" He stared to panic.

Kikyo blinked her eyes. "It's just that I missed my mother," she replied softly and audible enough for Inuyasha to hear. "She was my pillar of support. And now the moon is pitch-black. I can't see her."

"Your mother?" Inuyasha had suddenly turned into a serious mode of a concerned peer. "What has your mother got to do with the moon?"

"She died under a full moon night. And told me she would be there forever."

Inuyasha remained silent. Kikyo continued to look at the sky. So the priestess before him also had a bad childhood too. She was revered by the people, but deep down a scarred person. She was so much alike to him. Perhaps she and he were fated to meet.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo began to speak again; she had returned to her calm state. "Thank you for hearing me out." She got up, but before she could plan to return to the village, her sharp eyes caught a dark figure near the _Shikon-Tama _shrine. As quickly as she could, the priestess picked up her lantern and ran down the hill.

The masked figure made his entrance into the shine. In front of him was the precious jewel shining in its pinky glow. He tip-toed to the holder of the jewel. The masked ninja was about to touch the Shikon Jewel when the doors were forced open to find a displeased priestess with a bow and her arrow ready to be released.

"Identify yourself!" She spoke to the ninja. The masked man turned behind to reveal a dark spider shape on his front, shown brightly by the torches placed inside the shrine. As soon as he had identified himself, instant _shuriken _were thrown at the priestess. Sensing the danger, Kikyo dodged the attack by jumping away.

"Kuukuu KuuKuu…" came the sinister laughter of the ninja. "So the legend of the _Shikon no Tama _protector is true. She is truly beautiful and a formidable opponent as well." His voice rang through out the main room of the hall.

"And you do not seem like an easy foe to me too," she praised with sarcasm, continuing to press the arrow against the bow string, causing the bow to bend back as well. "Let's see how you can take against my archery!" She released the arrow at the ninja. Unfortunately, he had dodged it too as the arrow hit the wall, whose purple glow diminished as soon as it hit its target.

Kikyo released another arrow. The ninja continued to dodge with his swiftness. In return,more _shuriken _continued to be thrown at the priestess, who avoided the blow too. The attacks continued one after another, with a draw between the foes. The priestess prepared to shoot another arrow, when another _shuriken _hit into her shoulder blade, making a bleeding wound in it.

Knowing that the priestess had been hit with one of his weapons, the ninja quickly took the glowing Shikon Jewel and ran to the exit. He turned behind to look at the injured priestess, holding the precious gem in one hand.

"Thank you for the jewel, _miko-sama_!" He spoke before exiting the door. "My name is Onigumo, for your information!" The ninja sped out of the shrine_. (A/N: I don't care if Onigumo was a bandit in the manga; I decided to make him a ninja this time anyway!)_

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Onigumo ran across the grass as he attempted to avoid much trouble from the village. As he ran across the grass, another arrow shot in front of him which hit a tree. The masked ninja turned behind to see that Kikyo had not given up the fight yet. In the distance from the shrine, she continued to hold the bow despite her shoulder injury which was continuing to bleed profusely.

"You'd better hand back that jewel," a voice from Onigumo's front alerted him. His eyes met with a human in a red kimono. "It belongs to me only."

"You're only a mere human," he replied sinisterly. "What can you do? Don't disturb me, I have a task to complete."

"Not anymore," Inuyasha replied discreetly, giving a small chuckle. He pointed to the sky, which had started to turn orange. The Sun rose as the first sunlight started to shine. The human in front of him was starting to mutate. His hair turned from ebony black to silvery white, the fingernails on his hands turning to claws, and the ears disappearing into his hair and re-appearing on top of his head in the shape of animalistic ears. "Now give me back the jewel, before my claws get them instead."

The half-demon was back to his original form. Onigumo trembled as he saw the half-demon raising his claws to attack him back.

"Sankon Tessou!" He shouted as he raised his claws to attack the ninja. As the blow rained on the ninja, his hand released the grip of the Shikon Jewel. Too stunned to take the jewel, the ninja quickly made his escape into the forest.

"You'll pay for this!" He stared back at Inuyasha as he made his run into the woods, with claw marks over his torn ninja clothing. "Something I'll get you!"

The _hanyou _picked up the dropped Shikon Jewel. He stared at it, while detecting for any moving sounds as his ears twitched. He looked up finally to see a priestess was aiming at him again. She had not completely fallen yet, for her will made her continue to protect the jewel.

Inuyasha, holding the jewel which dangled from his hand by its bird feathers string, paced over to Kikyo who had started to prepare releasing the arrow with her heart full of suspicion. Expected to turn himself into a _youkai _by the use of the _Shikon no Tama_, Kikyo braced herself as she continued to aim her sacred arrow at him. Instead, the _inu-hanyou _took her soft hand, in which she had released her grip on the boor, and placed the sacred item on her fair palm. With that the half-demon turned back to return to the woods.

"Wait," Kikyo spoke as he was a few metres from her. "Don't you want the jewel? This is your chance to change into a demon." She questioned as she placed her hand over her injured shoulder.

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. He continued to show his back to her. "This isn't a fair fight," his tone softened into that of a serious one. "I'll get the jewel for myself one day, but not when my opponent has been injured previously." Following his words the boy with the dog ears walked into the woods, showing a silent bid of farewell and leaving the priestess with the Shikon Jewel. She gave a small smile in response, continuing to stare at the half-demon walking away in the distance.

_So this Inuyasha isn't that heartless after all…his human goodness made him so…_

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"You were supposed to lure the priestess, weren't you?" A man in official robes stared out of the window. An injured ninja stood a distance behind him. "So what happened?"

"I thought getting the Shikon Jewel will lure her here alone, milord," the ninja spoke with stammer. "But a demon came alone and attacked me."

The official turned to the ninja, with a piercing stare that would scare anyone. The ninja prostrated before his lord. "Get your band of ninjas for tomorrow," he ordered calmly too. "I have a different plan in mind."

Kikyo was not to expect another ordeal to come her way that soon again. A few watchful crows observed the priestess tending to her wound from the high branches of the trees nearby.

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**Well…it's done. This time, I don't really want to follow the manga/anime that strictly. This time, Onigumo's a ninja, not some bandit, and he doesn't really follow a chief around too. Anyway, see ya all soon!**

**Glossary:**

**(none)**


	8. Kidnapped

**Chapter Eight: Kidnapped**

**Well…the next chapter is up. I guess I've to speed up more before my school term begins. Anyway just enjoy this chapter! **

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**Chapter Eight**

An arrow shot at a wild boar. It screamed as it fell down dead. As it shrieked from its injury, a certain violet jewel fell out of its mouth. Kikyo walked over to the dead carcass of the wild boar demon. It was yet another demon that had attempted to steal the Shikon Jewel again. Inuyasha the half-demon watched her from a high tree branch as he sat on it with his arms folded.

For the past weeks, he had tried to attain the sacred jewel but always ended up being pinned to the tree. The _hanyou _regretted not taking the precious item for himself during the night of the _ninja_'s attack on the shrine. Inuyasha scowled as the priestess turned behind to look up at him.

"Inuyasha," she shouted up to him. "You should be doing more sensible things."

"What do you mean?" He jumped down to the ground, sitting in a dog position.

"You're practically wasting your time," she became critical of the dog demon. Kikyo held up the Shikon Jewel in her hand. "Simply by just a silly desire to acquire this item."

"Give me that gem and I'll stop wasting my time," he snapped back at her.

"You're just wasting your time," Kikyo repeated her sentence again. As soon as she was done talking, the priestess in red and white made her way past Inuyasha. "I'm returning to the village, farewell."

"Hey! Wait…" It was no use. The priestess had walked briskly and was too far to hear his shouting. "Stupid priestess," he cursed.

"There's a way to get that jewel," Inuyasha heard a voice from nowhere. It seemed to echo in the deep forest where he stood beside the dead demon's body.

"Who're you? I demand to know!"

His reply was to be answered. A mysterious apparition appeared before the _inu-hanyou _as it began to form into the shape of another woman in red and white. She was another _miko_. "I can help you to get the jewel," she replied in a sinister way. Her eyes showed a sign of great darkness in her heart. Surely, this was a fallen priestess from the grace of the Shinto religion.

"Another priestess?" He looked at the fallen _miko_.

"You long to be a _youkai_," she sniggered evilly. Her face was of an evil human, and did not seem to look like a priestess at all. Inuyasha took a step back, shocked at what was before him. "You desire the precious jewel."

"Shut up, you wench!" Inuyasha realized that this was a force of evil before him.

"I can sense the strong desire in your heart," she continued her unmoved tone. She continued to give an evil stare at Inuyasha, whose dog ears have moved into a state of fear. "Join me in getting the Shikon Jewel and I'll grant your wish."

"How can you prove it to me?" Inuyasha replied back suspiciously, but knew he was associating with evil which made him tremble within. "I don't believe you."

"Oh, you shall," her words continued to carry a sinister tone. "Will you kill Kikyo if you have to get the jewel?"

"I…I…" He trembled at her question. Inuyasha had never killed a human before, which made him confused at giving an answer.

"She and her sister are bastard children," the fallen _miko_ informed the half-demon who was in a state of shock. "Their father is somewhere far away, and was seduced by their hussy of a mother."

"Why you stupid bitch!!" Inuyasha used his claws to attack the fallen _miko_, but failed as his hand fell through her. Of course, it was an apparition only. The evil priestess continued to laugh at his futile attempt.

"It seems that you do harbour some feelings for that wretch Kikyo," she spoke critically. Before she vanished, a few churchyards laughs were heard as she made her disappearance. Inuyasha simply stood there, shocked that he had been exposed to a part of Kikyo's past.

_I was a bastard child too…that's what the people called me…_

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Kikyo enjoyed the summer evening as she sat on the green grass again. The evening wind blew against her as she wiped her sacred arrows at the metal tip. They had to be cleaned for they reeked of the scent of demons' blood. At the moment she could sense someone was nearby.

"Inuyasha," she spoke out as she continued to wipe her arrows with a certain cloth. "There is no point in hiding." The half-demon quickly came, sitting on the grass beside her again. She continued to make her arrows.

"Nice sunset, isn't it?" She knew what he was going to say next. There was silence unexpectedly. She lifted her head to turn to the half-demon who was looking at the setting sun. "Do you want to join the _obon _festival?" She noted the expression that Inuyasha was going to say that he would not be accepted.

"That night is a new moon," she replied back before he had a chance to speak. "You can come undetected." Inuyasha was still silent.

"Something on your mind?" The priestess questioned the _hanyou_ as he continued his look at the orange sky. Inuyasha looked back at her, without those eyes of aggression that would demand the Shikon Jewel. "You're a little strange today, aren't you?" She continued to clean her arrows as she brought her focus back to them.

A bunch of bellflowers held by an unlikely hand shot in front of Kikyo's gaze. Shocked by the action, she turned to look at a red-faced Inuyasha who had suddenly given her the flowers. The priestess stopped her work. "What is the meaning of this?" She questioned.

_Great…my plan seems to fail…_

"I always heard human girls like flowers," he spoke quickly trying to get over it. "So…I…I…"

"Well…thank you," she took the bunch of bellflowers from Inuyasha's hand, and placed them on the grass. "So you do have some humanity inside you."

"Kikyo…" The priestess turned her head up to hear that Inuyasha was first calling her name. "…I heard about this human matter called love."

"It is meaningless to tell me that," she replied coldly while returning to cleaning her arrows. "it doesn't exist in my world. But I'm glad that you first called my name." Looking at the half-demon again, she saw that his face was as red as his own clothing. "Is there something wrong?"

"Er…nope…forget what I asked you!" He snapped back to his usual attitude. He knew that Kikyo was a serious person, and yet he was of a more naïve individual. They belonged to different worlds. "And the night is coming soon."

"I know," she responded calmly. "Why don't you return back to the forest first? I will be completing my work soon." Inuyasha, without giving a signal, jumped back to the forest as Kikyo remained there, clearing the last trails of blood on her arrows.

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Nightfall had come. The sky was now pitch-black, with only the crescent moon to light up the sky. The priestess sitting on the ground had finally completed her cleaning of the arrows. Ready to return home, she got up and picked her weapons. As she was about to make her first step, she felt a few arms grab her.

"Kikyo-_sama_," one of the ninjas spoke. "I'm afraid that you may have to come with us instead."

"What do you want?" She replied back angrily. "You'll never get the Shikon Jewel as long as I'm alive."

"We don't want the Shikon Jewel," another ninja replied. "Someone wishes to see you."

"Let me go!" Kikyo spoke fiercely as she tried to struggle. Before she knew it, a wooden stick hit her on the head, making her unconscious. She fell to the ground where the group of masked men carried her away into the dark forest.

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**Mmm…another boring chapter. Never mind, I'll try my best to write a chapter that has some rescue inside. See ya all soon!**

**Glossary:**

**_Obon_ : Japanese festival in Summer**


	9. A Familiar Face

**Chapter Nine: An Familiar Face**

**Okay…time to add some people from the original manga. Perhaps some of you will get what I mean.**

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**Chapter Nine**

"Something's not right," Inuyasha spoke to himself as he sat on the top branch of a tree. He continued to look at the half-moon that lit the night sky. "Did Kikyo returned to her village?"

"Hey, Inuyasha," he heard a sharp voice from the clearing a certain distance away. It was Kaede's, who was constantly calling him out. The half-demon jumped and landed on the ground softly, making a quick run to the clearing.

"What is it, brat?" He questioned her rudely as he materialized in front of the single-eyed girl holding a lantern. "And why are you out so late? Trying to defy your _onee-san_?"

"I should be asking you that!" She replied sharply at his crude remark, staring up at the dog demon. She had placed her paper lantern down and moved her arms into an akimbo position, continuing to look up at Inuyasha. "Where did you take my _oneesan _to?"

"What do you mean I kidnapped Kikyo?"

"Don't you want the Shikon Jewel for yourself? So you must have kidnapped her for yourself!" Kaede began to cry for her sister's presence. Inuyasha's hair stood on end; he did not want a child to cry from his past experiences of being bullied. The younger priestess rubbed her eyes with her arm as she cried.

"You brat," he was showing an unconfident and insecure tone. He bent down to the young sister of the priestess. "Stop crying!" Kaede continued to cry despite his order.

"STOP CRYING!" He shouted at the one-eyed girl who stopped her bawling. He turned behind only to sense an evil-looking Kaede suddenly lunging at him.

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Kikyo stirred to find herself hanging from a rope that wrapped around her. She was roughly a large distance from the ground, while she hung from a branch of a tall tree. Below her were several torches that had been held to the tree trunks which lit up the area.

"Kukuku," she heard the evil laughter of a woman. The source of the voice came out to her, revealing another woman in the priestess clothing of white and red. "Good evening, fellow disciple Kikyo."

"Tsubaki-_senpai_?" She looked at her senior who looked up at with a sinister grin. Her hair had been tied up into a bun, unlike Kikyo's loosely-tied one. "What do you think you are doing?!?"

Tsubaki gave no reply. She took out her bow and shot an arrow through the rope that hung Kikyo to the tree branch. In a split second the tied up priestess fell to the ground with a large bump. With the rope loose, the priestess released herself as she got up from the earth.

"My archery skills are better," she spoke coldly as she shot several arrows accurately at a tree which made its branches fall. "And my _miko _powers are better too."

"Tsubaki-_senpai_," Kikyo got up to get close to her senior. Before she could get near to the other priestess, Kikyo took a step back. "What happened to you? I can sense _jaki _all around you."

"Kukukuku," she laughed evilly again, this time staring hard at her junior. "I'm now a fallen _miko_, from cooperating with the forces of darkness."

"W-what's the meaning of this?"

"Kikyo-_chan_, the Shikon Jewel was never yours to keep," she continued to give an evil look. "I want you to disown what Master ordered you to." Her eerie language gave Kikyo fear as she moved back another step. "Now, be a good junior and obey your _senpai_," she ordered as she started to emanate more _jaki _from her body. "Pass me the jewel."

"I-I don't have it!" Kikyo exclaimed back. She knew she was lying for Tsubaki was a priestess after all and could sense its presence. "Even if I had it, I'd have to purify your _jaki _before you can have it."

"I willingly allowed myself to contain this _jaki_," she closed her eyes and re-opened them to reveal a demonic presence. "Ever since Master betrayed me, his best student, by not giving me the Shikon Jewel."

"You didn't deserve it after all," Kikyo replied in animosity. "You even allowed this demonic presence to corrupt your heart! Master will be disappointed if he saw you like this…"

"Oh just shut up!" Tsubaki interrupted and snapped back at her junior. "Master is already dead! Pass me the jewel, or face the consequences!" The dark priestess was starting to swell with the _jaki _accumulated in her as the aura around her turned dark purple.

"I cannot give it to someone with a corrupted heart," Kikyo replied back coldly this time.

"Well then," she replied back with a sense of evilness. "You shall face the consequences." Tsubaki began to chant a prayer in _Sanskrit_, which Kikyo only knew a bit due to the fact that her master had always asked his prize pupil to read advanced texts in the mystic language. She re-opened her eyes, and grinned at Kikyo. "It is done," she stared at her junior. "I have given you a love curse. We'll see how your purity can take it. When you give yourself to a man, I'll make sure your powers will weaken greatly, and I'll be purer than you enough to take the Shikon Jewel."

"I don't believe in your curses," Kikyo spoke in hostility at Tsubaki's curse. She knew that her senior had always cast curses that did not come true. "You never had one that worked on a single _youkai_."

"Perhaps I didn't have any _jaki_ then," the sinister aura in the area continued to flourish as Tsubaki continued. "We'll see." The fallen _miko _began to clasp her hand and produced a glowing glyph below her feet. She gave one more stare at Kikyo. "Oh, and I forgot," she spoke again. "Heard you made friends with a heathen half-breed? Kukukuku…" Her words trailed off as the glyph emerged dark light that surrounded the fallen priestess. As it vanished, it simply left a small burn mark on the ground.

"_Oneesan_!" The priestess heard a familiar voice from behind her. It was her own little sister's. She turned behind to see a little girl running towards her with a paper lantern. "Where did you go?"

Kikyo turned to look around. The torches around the area had mysteriously vanished as soon as Tsubaki had made her exodus. "I sensed something wrong here," she replied to her sister. "But it's nothing wrong now."

"Are you sure something's not wrong here?" She heard a familiar male voice from the darkness behind Kaede. Inuyasha appeared from the darkness, with his irritated expression as he turned his head away. "I can sense a lot of _jaki _here."

"It's nothing," Kikyo replied coldly. "There was probably a large number of _youkai _who crossed by here." She took her sister by the hand. "Let's return home," she spoke to her sibling. Inuyasha watched as an unfazed Kikyo and her sister crossed him.

_Kikyo is unusually calm tonight and this place reeks of jaki. What's going on…?_

Afraid of having wild thoughts, he shook his head quickly and ran up to the priestess siblings.

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It was almost daybreak. The Sun had not risen, but the sky had turned lighter. Inuyasha was unable to sleep for the entire night pondering over what exactly happened to the priestess. She was strangely calm and not afraid at all even if she did not have her weapons with her.

"Inuyasha," the half-demon turned to see the same apparition again.

"What do you want?"

"I'll let you in on something about getting the Shikon Jewel," the fallen priestess spoke. "You do want, don't you?"

"Just go away!"

"The source of a _miko_'s powers is her chastity," she continued with an uninterrupted fluency. "This alone should let you know what to do."

"Listen you bitch," Inuyasha was getting hot-tempered at her sudden words. "If you don't stop your bloody nonsense on insulting Kikyo, I'm going to tear you to pieces!"

"Kukukuku," she laughed sinisterly. "Take my words in mind…" The apparition began to fate again, leaving Inuyasha sitting on his tree branch. He stared at the dawn sky as he placed his arms behind his head.

_That priestess could be right…I could use that to get the jewel…_

The half-demon shook his head again, slapping himself. He was shameless alone in thinking of making the priestess impure just for his own personal gain. Perhaps he would check again, Inuyasha thought on as he waited for day to break.

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"_Oneesan_," Kaede looked at a set of prayer beads as she picked it up. "What is this necklace?"

"Don't play with that," Kikyo admonished as she stitched a needle through her blanket patches. It had been time to repair as the strength of the cotton fabric had started to fade over time. "It's a set of prayer beads to control someone."

"Can I use it on my friend?" Kikyo stopped her work and looked at her sister hard, who could only be in shock. "It'd be fun to do that."

"Kaede, that is too cheeky," she warned her little sister, continuing her stitching again. "Use it only for a good purpose."

"_Oneesan_," Kaede behaved more mischievous. "You want to use on Inuyasha, don't you?" Her words made the priestess stop in moving her needle between the fabrics of the patches on the blanket.

"No, I wasn't planning that," Kikyo lied through her own teeth. She knew that she intended to use the prayer beads on Inuyasha so that he could not get near the Shikon Jewel. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Nowhere," she spoke as she ran out of the door. "_Oneesan_, _ittekimasu!_"

_It would actually be fun to experiment those prayer beads on Inuyasha…_

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Kikyo made her way to the bone eaters well to check if the corpses of the demons were properly decaying. Inside her white _hakui _were the prayer beads she had wanted to test on Inuyasha. As she arrived at the bone eaters well, the _Goshinboku _tree came into site with the wooden well perched on top of a small green hill. Her eye caught Inuyasha looking at the holy tree for no special reason.

"Inuyasha?" She asked with his back facing her. Inuyasha's eyes widened a little as he turned to see the priestess. "What are you doing here?"

"Well…I…I…it's none of your business anyway!" He stammered and suddenly exclaimed back crudely. He had one arm hidden behind his back now, showing that he had something up his back, literally.

"I came to check up on the bone eaters well," she replied without him asking her to. Kikyo took a moment to look into the well, which showed that the remains of the demons were properly decaying and ensuring none were regenerating at all. She took another second to look at Inuyasha again. "Well…I have…"

"Do you remember the _Obon _festival you told me?" Inuyasha seemed to blush a bit. He was behaving a little out of his usual self too. "Thank you for inviting me. Please accept this, Kikyo!"

_He's calling my name for the second time…_

The priestess looked at what Inuyasha had shown her. His gift was a small shell that was pink in colour. "What is this?" She was unable to identify his gift as she continued to scrutinize it while taking it from his hands.

"I don't dabble in girls' stuff," he folded his arms and closed his eyes proudly, showing his peculiar attitude change. Kikyo opened the box to reveal different coloured powder on its lower shell. "It's my mother's make-up box. So what did you wanted to say earlier?"

"Nothing," she replied back mesmerized by Inuyasha's gift to her. "Don't you want to keep as a memento for your mother?"

"My mother's already dead, you wretch!" He exclaimed in anger. "I don't need anything to be reminded of her!" Kikyo looked at him with no emotion, but knew that he was being rude to her. "Sorry," came his sudden apology as he shrugged his head as his face was red again. "Just like you, I miss my mother too."

_So…he's an orphan too…?_

"Oh," Kikyo replied back coldly still. She looked at the pink shell for one last time before closing it shut again. "Thank you for your gift." Inuyasha had re-folded his hands and changed into an arrogant position, with his eyes closed. "Farewell," came her answer.

As soon as Kikyo was gone, Inuyasha looked at the white clouds floating in the azure blue sky. "_Okaasan,_" he talked to the heavens. "Did I do the right thing?"

_Will Kikyo use the make-up? The Obon festival's in a few days time…_

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**Quite a long chapter I guess…in terms of fanfiction. Okay, see all of you soon! Please review if you wish!**

**Glossary:**

**_Senpai _: Senior (A/N: I'm not too sure if this address exists in the Sengoku era, but I'll just assume.)**

**_Jaki _: evil aura**

**_Ittekimasu _: An expression to say before one leaves a house**

**_Goshinboku _: The holy tree near the bone eaters well**


	10. The Festival of the Dead

**Chapter Ten: The Festival of the Dead**

**I do admit that there was some fluff inside the previous chapter since both characters went a little OOC. But I guess sometimes characters do lose their minds in a while right? Hehehe…Okay, enjoy the chapter!**

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**Chapter Ten**

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the dirt path as the two sisters made their way through the forest. Kikyo, with a basket held on her hand, held her little sister's hand as they walked through the forest path. It was the _obon _festival, and it was time to visit the resting places of the departed.

"_Oneesan_," Kaede questioned her elder sister as they continued to walk on the dirt path through the green forest. "Why is _okaasan_'s grave so deep within the forest?"

Kikyo looked back at her little sister. She was wearing a striking colour of a kimono displaying red peonies. The priestess herself was wearing the colour of the grasses that represented her place in the Shinto religion. "_Okaasan_ was also a _miko_ too," she spoke solemnly as they continued to walk briskly on the brown dirt path. "The villagers wanted her grave hidden to ensure that the _youkai _did not touch it."

The priestess beckoned to her sibling to step into a small cut into the array of trees. As they stepped into the edge of the forest, a clearing came into sight with a grave stone perched on the tall grass. Apparently, they did not visit the area for a few years already. Kaede followed behind her sister's back; the area was rather eerie as crows made sounds that made it sounded like it was at night.

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The half-demon boy lied on one tall tree branch, with a twig inside his mouth. He was trying to get enough sleep to ensure he would have enough energy for this special moonless night where his 'period' came. Kikyo had earlier told him that it was the _obon _festival, but he did not care much about it. A presence made him awake suddenly.

_The presence of jaki?!? What is it doing at a time like this…?!?_

The same apparition appeared, but this time it took a real form and landed on a nearby branch from Inuyasha. She sat down on it with ease, with her sinister grin. Her body reeked of nothing but the dark _jaki_.

"Hello again," she spoke slowly but seemingly deadly. "Inuyasha."

Inuyasha got up from his tree branch to look at the fallen priestess. "Who are you anyway," he shouted back at her, having that she had disturbed his rest. "And why do you always come to disturb me?"

"You can take the Shikon Jewel now," she spoke as though it was an easy task.

"Are you mad, wretched priestess?" He replied back loudly. "Kikyo will subdue before the jewel can be taken…"

"Kikyo is not there," she interrupted him. "Kukukuku." Inuyasha got up on his feet to look at the dark priestess. She continued to laugh as a villain. "You can go and check," she replied back to his irritated look. "Don't worry. I have a surprise for the both of you." Soon, the priestess began to disappear again.

"Oh yes," she turned back before her body began to vanish into thin air again. "My name is Tsubaki, the dark priestess." Inuyasha looked at the place where she had vanished. Something bad within his heart began to stir up. The surprise she had planned could be something unimaginable to think about. The _hanyou _boy sat down again on the branch to consider his chance to take the sacred jewel.

_Is this Tsubaki somehow connected to Kikyo…?_

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Kikyo took out a sickle from her basket, where she had borrowed from one farmer. The grave had been not maintained for a rather long time. The priestess began her menial work of cutting the tall grass growing around the grave. Kaede, on the other hand, took the trouble of burning joss sticks in front of the gravestone. Incense from the wooden fragrant sticks filled the atmosphere around the siblings. (A/N: I have no idea why they are doing this. Just wanted to write it anyway and there is a lot of Chinese influence here.)

As soon as the tall grass around have been trimmed, Kikyo returned to the grave and knelt down. Clasping her hands in a prayer, she closed her eyes and brought her hands close to her face. Kaede followed suit, seeing that her sister had turned silent in front of the grave.

_Okaasan…aid me in protecting and purifying the Shikon Jewel…_

Kikyo continued to pray silently as she remained closing her eyes, while kneeling on the hard stone block in front of the grave.

_Help me to let the half-demon Inuyasha be enlightened and give up on being a youkai…_

She re-opened her eyes to see that Kaede was still praying. Getting up she turned to see that there was a presence in the vicinity. Looking around the priestess sensed the presence of a certain _hanyou _in the area.

"Inuyasha, I know you're out there," she spoke to nowhere, knowing that he could hear her no matter how soft she spoke. "What brings you here?"

The half-demon in red jumped from one of the canopies of the trees as he landed on the ground with a soft thud. Kikyo gave a cold look in return for his arrival. "What's your problem priestess?" He questioned her rudely, being irritated by her cold greeting to him. "Coming to visit your mother's grave?"

"You're stating the obvious," she gave a monotonous reply back to the dog demon. The priestess signaled to her sister, who had got up from the grave, carrying the basket in her small arms. "Come, Kaede," she turned her head to look at her sibling. "We have to return to the village."

As Kikyo passed Inuyasha, she came close to his head. Soft as she could, but audible to Inuyasha, the _miko _whispered a sentence.

_Meet you at the obon festival tonight._

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Kikyo placed a few hairpins to keep her hair in place. Dressed in a _yukata_ with the patterns of the cherry blossoms, she walked out of her small hut. Kaede had earlier joined the village children in helping to put up the red lanterns that now lined from one farmhouse to the next farmhouse that were supported by black lines held by several wooden sticks. The sky was orange, which showed the sun's waning light, and the darkness of the moonless night.

Meanwhile near _Goshinboku _in the forest, a half-demon was trying to control himself as the Sun plunged below the horizon with the new moon rising. Inuyasha could feel the pain as his fangs vanished within his gums, leaving the normal human teeth and his claws suddenly morphing into human nails instead which gave discomfort to him. The curse of the new moon was once again upon the _hanyou _again. He looked in the distance to see just red lanterns hanging all over the village, with the sounds of happy human villagers celebrating the festival.

_I have to go…Kikyo's waiting…_

Kikyo waited at the edge of the village. She stared behind as the happy cries of the villagers sounded at the centre of it. There was no _youkai _presence, which was highly peculiar especially on the day where the spirits of the dead returned to the world of the living for a few days. She was also surprised that Tsubaki had not come to ruin the festival through some of her unknown traps she could set for the priestess.

_Inuyasha is late…_

She continued to wait at the edge of the village. The half-demon was definitely late, and it was almost time for the main event of the festival where everyone had to do the _obon _dance. Only the crickets, other than the festival music, made sounds to complement the stillness of the moonless night. Assuming that he had not wished to come for the festival, Kikyo turned behind to return to the festival.

"_Oi! _Can't you be more patient, wretch?" She heard Inuyasha's cursing voice from behind. As she turned, the figure of a fine looking boy in a red kimono filled her view. Strangely enough, Inuyasha had tied his hair into a high ponytail, looking like an ancient samurai.

"You're late," came the priestess' only comment. She turned behind, while signaling to Inuyasha to the centre of the village where the festival was talking place, to walk slowly on the path as rice fields lined it.

"Hey, wait!" Inuyasha shouted back as he quickly followed behind the slow walking priestess as the wind blew across her _yukata_ which flowed smoothly with the moving air. Little did they know that a certain someone was watching.

Tsubaki observed them from a distance in the air. She looked at the village, which was full of life and with a human Inuyasha with Kikyo walking towards it. Summoning a special mirror, and a unique fan, she laughed evilly at what was before her.

At the same time, a group of ninjas observed the celebrating village from the trees. It was the perfect time for loot since the inhabitants were not at their houses. Once again, the village was not going to spared from just one peaceful night of enjoying the festival of the dead.

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**Weird chapter I written, eh? This chapter is a little boring because there is no action involved in it and only drama being inside. To assure you reviewers, there will be an action essence involved in the next chapter. Until then, good bye!**

**Glossary:**

**_Yukata _: Japanese traditional outfit similar to a kimono, but used in summer usually for its thinner layer of fabric**


	11. Powers of the Jaki

**Chapter Eleven: Powers of the _Jaki_**

**Well, I guess I have to add another chapter. Somehow this story is getting a little pointless since Kikyo is having way too many adventures already. Looks like I'll correct it. Please review to correct me if I'm straying too far from the original storyline. Thank you.**

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**Chapter Eleven**

The moonless night was lit with the light of the red lanterns. Every villager was enjoying the happiness of the festival spirit. The children of the village, including one-eyed Kaede, made a small dance around the wooden tower that had been erected for the sake of the festival. It was a joyous atmosphere for every human despite the darkness of the new moon.

"Kikyo-_mikosama_," the priestess heard someone called her name. She turned to see one of the few young adults in front of her. Kaori had approached the priestess with some curiosity implanted in her. The human Inuyasha, distracted by Kaori's disturbance, turned to look in Kikyo's direction too. (A/N: Yes, I'm going to create a character not anywhere.)

Kikyo greeted the young villager with a small bow. Looking up again, she looked at Kaori and questioned, "Kaori-_san_, what is the problem?" The _shoujo_ made a small giggle and re-opened her eyes to look at the emotionless priestess.

"Is that your lover with you?" She presented her question to Kikyo. Knowing that most _miko_s did not really keep their vow of celibacy, it was obvious that a man next to a priestess would mean that it was the latter's love interest, usually. Inuyasha made a shocked expression as his face went a little red. Kikyo, on the other hand, continued to maintain an emotionless expression on her face, with the exception of her lips which had shaped into a small smile.

_A priestess' duties are to maintain the shrine and protect her people. She should not have any other emotions at all times…_

"We're just friends," came her reply as she bore in mind what her late master had once told her about the proper discipline of a priestess. Inuyasha looked at the priestess with no emotion expressed too. Kikyo looked at Kaori again, whose focus was now centred to Inuyasha. "Are you interested in him?"

"Er…well…" Kaori replied, with a little flushing in her cheeks too. She held her hands together, looking down at the ground. The folk songs continued to dominate the sound scene as the young girl continued to remain silent for a moment. "I didn't know they had good-looking boys in the next village…"

"Hey! I'm not from a _ningen _area…" His impulsive interruption was only to be covered by Kikyo's hand signal. She turned a small angle to look at the human Inuyasha for a while before turning back to see Kaori. "…that is nearby."

"So you're from afar?" The _shoujo _questioned the dog demon under the curse of the new moon. He looked at her with his violet eyes that were soft enough to make any female human melt. Kaori flushed for a while, which also caused Inuyasha to produce the same effect too. (A/N: I know there's a rather big lot of fluffs here, but just hang on with it!)

Kikyo walked away from the centre of the village. Inuyasha would be far too busy looking at the villager Kaori. The priestess herself had never expected the person she had invited to leave her behind as she walked to the _Shikon-Tama _shrine. It was quiet in the area as everyone had gone to the festival area to celebrate. Suddenly, a great presence once again surrounded her.

_Jaki…Tsubaki's here again?!?_

Kikyo climbed up the stairs to find a black haired woman standing in front of the shrine with her back facing the priestess. No doubt, it was her senior again who had come to create havoc at the village. Discovering she had left her bow and arrow in her hut, Kikyo quickly turned to get her bow and arrow as she prepared to hurry down the stairs.

"There is no need to get your bow and arrow," Tsubaki's voice screeched out. "Don't you wish to greet your _senpai_?"

Kikyo's eyes widened as soon as she had heard the words out of the dark priestess' mouth. The strength of the _jaki _was strong and the priestess was unable to resist it. Knowing that there was no way out, she turned back to face Tsubaki's back again.

"The _senpai _I know is dead," she spoke back daringly to the dark priestess. "For she had been killed by all the _jaki _that surrounded her." She took more courage to talk back to the fallen _miko_. "And it is impossible for an evil being to possess the Shikon Jewel too."

"That's very good Kikyo," Tsubaki replied, with this time turning to reveal that she was holding a mirror with crystal décor. Her eyes were more evil this time, probably polluted by the large mass of _jaki _surrounding her. "Your fate is sealed."

_That mirror looks highly suspicious…_

"Just as I thought," the dark priestess spoke again, knowing that Kikyo was looking at the mirror. "A wonderful chance for me to test the powers of the mirror." From Kikyo's view, the mirror began to absorb the violet-looking _jaki _which began to show an image, which revealed itself to surprise the holy priestess standing on the stone path leading to the shrine.

_Okaasan…?!? Is this a trick?_

The image of her mother had materialized in the clear mirror. Unknowing to the priestess, the mirror was using the darkness in her heart to harness the spiritual powers. Staring closer into it, the contraption was beginning to take her in like a unique black hole in space.

"Feel the power of the mirror, Kikyo," Tsubaki gave an evil snigger as she looked at the _miko _whose focus was only concentrated on the magical mirror. "Let it absorb your mind into it." Within moments a ball of white flame had emerged from the priestess' mouth and left the body as it entered the mirror. Soon after, Kikyo collapsed to the ground.

"Kukukuku," the dark _miko _looked at the unconscious priestess lying on the ground. "With you in an eternal sleep, I shall claim the Shikon Jewel as my inheritance." Hiding the mirror in her white _hakui_, Tsubaki proceeded to the shrine but felt a presence before she could venture into it.

"What have you done to her, you stupid wretch of a priestess?" She heard an aggressive tone from behind. Turning back she saw a human Inuyasha looking at her with the fiery flames in his eyes.

"Ah, so it is the _hanyou _Inuyasha," she spoke back sarcastically. "Oh, but I forgot, you're human today because of your accursed lineage."

"Shut up!"

"How rude of a young boy to the next keeper of the Shikon Jewel," she spoke back with a taste of irony in her tone. "Do you want to see your beloved Kikyo?" The dark priestess revealed the mirror's image, which displayed the portrait of the priestess inside.

"Why you…" Inuyasha was growling angrily but he had no power to make a demonic one to scare off the dark priestess.

"Kukuku," she laughed sinisterly. "Work for me, and I'll make sure your wish to become a _youkai _will come true."

The only sane thing left to do was insane. Inuyasha lunged at her only to be pushed back by a certain ninja who appeared the other night.

"Thank you, Onigumo."

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The sharp edges of the _shuriken _pinned Inuyasha to one nearby tree trunk. Onigumo stood beside the evil Tsubaki as they stood outside the shrine's tightly closed wooden doors. The injured demon under the new moon curse struggled to get out, but it was no use. It seemed that the _shuriken _this time had a spell cast on it to make it difficult to remove.

"Get me out of this, damn bastards!" He shouted out as he attempted to remove himself from the hard texture of the tree trunks. Tsubaki turned behind to look at the _hanyou _under the new moon curse.

"I'm so terribly sorry that you had refused to work for me," she pretended to be sympathetic to the dog demon. "You won't get a single part of the Shikon Jewel." As soon as the fallen priestess was finished with her words, she continued into the darkness of the shrine with Onigumo melting into the darkness with her.

_To think I harboured such darkness to take the Shikon Jewel…_

Inuyasha lowered his head again to stare at the grass. He cursed himself, knowing that the priestess who had always approached him was of evil intention. His thoughts simply flew through his closed mind. Suddenly, he noticed a figure coming up to the shrine. It revealed itself to be a girl in a _yukata_.

"I was wondering what took the both of you that long to come," Kaori spoke as she approached the pinned Inuyasha. With little effort, she pulled off the _shuriken _surprisingly. "Looks like there is something sinister here."

"Kikyo…" The half-demon's weak voice trailed off as he collapsed to the ground as soon as all the _shuriken_s had been taken off. He pointed to an unconscious figure on the ground nearby. "…she's been captured…"

"I see." Came Kaori's unfazed reply. The young villager turned to look at the unconscious priestess lying on the ground. "No doubt, it's the work of the _jaki_."

"How did you know all of this?"

"Inuyasha," she suddenly turned to him as she mentioned his name. "I'm not just a simple village girl to reckon with only." Kaori's mannerism had suddenly changed. It was this time not of a shy, flushing girl, but that of a courageous person.

_This Kaori…she is so mysterious…_

"So I see that a certain _shoujo_ has come to play heroine?" The dark priestess replied back as she emerged from the shrine again. In her hands was the prized Shikon Jewel which hung from it through a string of feathers. Inuyasha responded with an aggressive growl despite his human form on this moonless night, coming down on all fours.

"Release Kikyo-_sama _from that mirror of yours," Kaori spoke as she stood firmly on the ground, locking stares with Tsubaki. Mysteriously, she could also sense that Kikyo's soul was locked in the mirror held by the dark _miko_.

"Defeat me, and your request shall be granted," the dark priestess sneered back in response. Beckoning to Onigumo who had appeared behind her, the ninja jumped into the air throwing his famed _shuriken_ at the young village girl. Kaori gave a slight smile, and took out something dark to reflect the deadly weapons back at the surprised ninja.

"Dark priestess and her pawn," the village girl had mysteriously taken out a shiny silver sword with a pattern at its handle. She lowered her hand to rest the sword's tip on the grassy ground. "I'm not just a village girl as you had seen me as."

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**Done for now. I guess I'd try to write for the next chapter soon. Until then, goodbye!**

**Glossary:**

**_Shoujo _: Young adult girl**


	12. The Main Truth

**Chapter Twelve: The Main Truth**

**Time for the next chapter. In the previous chapter, many of you may have noticed that Tsubaki seemed to have some common weapons with Kanna. Anyway, it will remain out of the story about how these weapons came to be connected to Kanna. Please warn me if Kaori in the story turns out to be more of a Mary-Sue. Thank you.**

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**Chapter Twelve**

Onigumo lied on the ground defeated. Kaori, for a common villager, was strangely skilful in welding her sword. Her appearance was rather inappropriate for someone who was well-versed in swordplay, which was just a simple _yukata _and sandals. Tsubaki gave a startled look as she saw her cooperative ally defeated by a simple village _shoujo_.

"Who are you?" The dark priestess asked. "You're not a young girl too. Show yourself." Kaori gave a few laughs as she stared at the priestess with the Shikon Jewel. Suddenly, the young girl charged at the priestess as her sword aimed at the mirror. Inuyasha looked from behind as he crawled over to Kikyo's soulless body, hoping that the village girl could break the mirror and return the _miko_'s soul back.

Tsubaki responded to the _shoujo_'s attack by dodging it swiftly. With the powers of the dark energy of the moonless night, she could manipulate the abundance and utilize it to the full. As she avoided the attacks of the silver sword, Kaori continued to assail the dark priestess tirelessly. The dark priestess continued to dodge the swift yet light attacks made.

"You do have a unique swordplay," Tsubaki sneered as she laughed evilly while dodging the quick blows by Kaori's blade. "Where on earth did you get such skills?"

Her question was not to be replied. Suddenly, the unconscious Kikyo opened her eyes wide, revealing dilated pupils nearly covering all of it. Inuyasha stood back as he looked at the strange phenomenon that was happening. Streams of white flaming balls began to shoot out from the magical mirror and colliding into Kikyo's body. As her body levitated, the priestess began to stir once again. With the last bit of her soul re-entering her body, Kikyo's pupils returned back to normal.

"Tsubaki!" She exclaimed as she got up from the ground. "My spirit is not large enough to be contained within your Soul Mirror! Your end is near, return the Shikon Jewel!" Suddenly, Onigumo got up from his unconsciousness too. Within seconds, Kaori drew out another long sword and flung it over to the half-demon.

"Use it to defeat that ninja!"

Kikyo looked at the battle scene with a strange Kaori managing to attack Tsubaki with a sword she had never seen the young villager use before. On the other hand, the human Inuyasha was attempting to block the blows of the flying _shuriken _by the dark ninja. There was a not a thing she could do except to gather her bow and arrow.

"_Oneesan_!" She heard Kaede's voice behind. Wearing some clogs, the little sister held a bow and some arrows in her arms. Kikyo smiled solemnly as she took the bow from her sibling.

"How did you know there was a battle?"

"_Oneesan_, I have _miko _powers just like you," she spoke back to her priestess sister. "Don't belittle me as a little child who doesn't know anything!" Kikyo nodded her head as she turned back to see the ongoing battle.

The priestess held back the arrow against the bowstring as it stretched back slowly. The arrow started to glow with a pink hue as it started to gather purified energy. Kikyo released her grip. The arrow flew as it hit directly into the magical mirror, which broke in an instance causing cracks on its smooth surface. Other flaming white balls began to escape from the damaged weapon as it started to lose its power.

Tsubaki stared at the priestess who had fired the purification shot at her special weapon. Her face displayed a shocked expression as she was defeated. Looking angrily at Kikyo, she started to ramble, "You may have destroyed my mirror, but you can't get the _Shikon no Tama_!" The dark _miko _held up the precious stone in her fist.

The next instance saw Kikyo shooting an arrow at Tsubaki's clasped fist. As it hit the fair skin of the dark priestess, she dropped the jewel which fell to the wooden floor with a hard impact sound. Blood began to flow from the wrist of the priestess. An emerald light and aura began to surround the priestess. The same thing happened to Onigumo, who was still fighting a very aggressive Inuyasha.

"I'll get you for this someday!" Tsubaki's voice echoed off as she and her accomplice vanished within the bright emerald light. "This is not the end!"

Kaori dropped her sword on the floor. Her knees impacted with the soil as she knelt down weakly. The enlarged pupils in her eyes were beginning to contract to what she had normally looked at the festival previously.

_What's going on with this girl…?_

As soon as her look returned to normal, the _shoujo _collapsed onto the floor, unconscious like Kikyo a while ago. The priestess looked at the fainted girl as Kaede rushed to her side, noticing her unconsciousness. Preparing to help Kaori, Kikyo rushed but stopped to also faint from the ordeal she had just faced previously. The last thing she saw was just Inuyasha rushing over to her.

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Kikyo re-opened her eyes to notice that the night was over. The festival had ended and it was already time to return to her normal duty of priestess. But what had happened to the Shikon Jewel since she had fainted?

"The Shikon Jewel!" She suddenly got up to see that the sun had shone brightly into her small hut. Kaede was nowhere to be seen, assuming that Inuyasha had returned to the forest as soon as daybreak had come. Curious to know what had happened to Kaori, she got up from her bed to tie her hair into a loose ponytail before exiting her home.

"Hey Kikyo," she heard the familiar voice from one side. The priestess turned to see Inuyasha, who returned to normal. He wore a piece of cloth on top of his head, covering away the dog ears which had obviously stuck out from under the fabric. "So you've gotten up?"

_Inuyasha's behaving odd…he called my name again…_

"How's Kaori?" Kikyo asked the dog-demon.

"She's okay," came his reply as he twitched his ears to hear her. His tone was a little enthusiastic too, which made him more peculiar. "Just woken up too."

"Where's the Shikon Jewel?" Came Kikyo's dutiful question again.

"Kept inside the shrine," Inuyasha replied. "Kaede that brat did it for you."

"She is not a brat," Kikyo spoke back to the _hanyou_. "And thank you for coming yesterday to the festival." After a few moments of exchanging stares, the priestess made her way to the direction of the shrine. "Oh yes," she stopped to turn her head back to the half-demon. "You should return before the villagers find out that you're a demon. I know you have a disguise spell." Kikyo gave a cold stare but a warm smile back as she made her way back to the shrine.

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The priestess made her way up to the top of the hill to see the same old shrine again. A shiny light in the grass caught her attention. Kikyo walked forward to notice that there was a certain golden bar left on the grass. Picking it up, she had a feeling of realization.

_This golden bar…the Shogun's? _

She thought for a while as she continued to look at the symbol.

_Could this be Tsubaki's?_

A wave of realization splashed on her face. However, it had no effects on her face expressions and continued to show an emotionless façade. It could be true. Tsubaki had probably posed as the official who had enticed her to bring the Shikon Jewel. Kikyo clutched the golden seal in her hand.

_But how did she take it? It seems real…_

Her answer was replied when the wind blew. As soon as the moving air impacted with the golden seal, it started to erode as dust emerged from it. The entire item was a conjured up trick to deceive any common folk so that it would allow much safety. Kikyo smiled back at the shrine and at the moving clouds. She knew that Tsubaki would not be coming back for a long time. Even with Tsubaki's defeat, the greedy _youkai _would not be returning to assail the place for the Shikon Jewel for quite some time.

Kikyo opened the door to see a village young girl standing inside the holy shrine. The Shikon Jewel continued to emanate its violet glow as its aura remained throughout the room. The visitor turned behind to see the protector of the jewel.

"Kaori_-san,_ what are you doing here?"

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**Okay, I'm done with this chapter. Perhaps I'll post another one real soon, bye! And for today, there won't be a glossary as all the meanings of the rest of the difficult words are to be found in the previous chapters.**


	13. Just Collecting Some Firewood

**Chapter Thirteen: Just Collecting Some Firewood**

**Okay, here comes the next chapter. Be sure to read it more, and review on it! Okay guys, bye!**

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**Chapter Thirteen**

"_Ohayou gozaimasu_, Kikyo­-_sama_," Kaori bowed down before the priestess after turning to her back to face her. Kikyo gave a small warm smile as to any human she would give.

"Kaori-_san_, may I know?" She questioned the young villager. "What brings you here?"

Kaori remained silent for a moment. Her eyes moved to one side of the room before turning back to face the brown irises of the priestess'. "It's about last night," she spoke softly, lowering her head down with her cheeks full of the color of blood in embarrassment. "Sorry about my weird behavior."

"What about last night?" Kikyo spoke, touching her head with one hand, wondering what she had done the previous night. "You were normal during the _obon _festival. You even asked about Inu- the person with me."

"Didn't he tell you?" She exclaimed back suddenly, giving the priestess a little shock. Kaori clasped her fists together, looking up at the priestess. "I went into a trance!"

_A trance…?!? Inuyasha didn't tell me that…_

"If you had a trance," Kikyo decided to hold back her emotions and remain as calm as possible. She looked back at the young villager. "What would you expect me to do? I'm only the protector of the Shikon Jewel."

"Can you seal the phenomenon away?" She questioned the priestess. Kikyo took a step back from the girl. She had never done any sealing spells before. Perhaps only her master taught such spells to Tsubaki, the prized pupil. "I beg you," she spoke as the little girl got down on her knees. Kikyo stretched her hands to help the little villager up instantly.

"Perhaps I can purify you instead," the words came out of her mouth automatically. Kikyo covered her mouth with her hands in response.

_Maybe purifying her soul may help…_

Kikyo took up her bow and placed her arrow on the tension of the string. The metal tip of the arrow began to glow into an azure color. Kaori looked at the bright glow of the weapon. "Touch the arrow," she ordered to the _shoujo_. "Perhaps it'll purify you just like that."

Kaori gave a nod and re-shifted her focus back to the glowing tip of the arrow. As her hand clasped round the glowing arrow, an aura of bluish-green color began to surround the young adult woman. She stared into space as her pupils began to dilate again until she had looked like she was in a new trance again.

"Kikyo-_mikosama_," the voice that came out of Kaori was a little deeper than her own. "Why do you wish to seal me away?"

"Who are you?" Kikyo stared at the trance-like Kaori. The girl simply stood there with the priestess retracing her steps back away from the latter. "Why do you possess this young _shoujo_?"

"I did not possess her," she replied back coldly. "She is the reincarnation of me. A soul designed to protect the _Shikon no Tama_." As soon as she had mentioned the precious jewel, memories came flooding into Kikyo's mind. Her eyes widened in response. So she had seen Kaori fighting with a sword against swift Tsubaki earlier the night before. All of it was true.

"Kaori-_san _wishes that this trance-like state be sealed away," Kikyo spoke back, standing firm on the ground with the look of an aggressive person. "Do you oblige her?"

The 'possessed' girl stared for a moment before replying, "Very well." "I make myself disperse and return as the reincarnated soul," she responded back to the priestess' requests. "But when the time comes for the Shikon Jewel to be in jeopardy, I shall make myself visible again." As soon as her words were completed, the pupils of Kaori began to contract as she regained her normal state again. The young girl collapsed to the ground instantly. Kikyo lowered down her bow and look at the wooden floor.

_The Shikon Jewel in jeopardy…? A disaster will befall this village…?_

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Kaori re-opened her eyes to find a Kikyo looking at the shining glow of the Shikon Jewel. Her hands were clasped in a prayer with her eyes closed too. Behind the Shikon Jewel was the golden statue of _Kannon_, the goddess of mercy whom the village had believed in. She got up to look at the priestess who was deep in prayer.

"Kikyo-_sama_?"

Kikyo opened her eyes to turn back to see a well Kaori. "Thank you for sealing that phenomenon away," she gave another bow to the priestess. Kikyo continued to maintain an emotionless appearance. Kaori's face turned red as she looked up at the priestess. "About the man with you…"

"He has gone," Kikyo replied knowing that she did not want Inuyasha's identity to be revealed. Kaori looked disappointedly with her hazel eyes. "I think you should be going now. I'm going to collect more firewood now." The priestess placed a hand on the girl's shoulder before walking past her out of the shrine.

_I'm so stupid…Inuyasha should not have come for the festival after all…_

Kikyo walked down on the stone stairs to the village. She had a duty to collect firewood for the village since the surrounding forest was almost full of _youkai_. She had to get her firewood holder first before setting off. The priestess continued to make her way down as she looked at the villagers in the rice fields that waved back to her.

"Hey Kikyo!"

She heard a familiar voice as she was about to enter her hut. Inuyasha sat on the straw roof of her small hut. He still had the bandana tied around his head to conceal the dog ears that popped out from his silvery-white hair.

"Shouldn't you be doing something more meaningful?" Kikyo replied back as she entered her home to collect the firewood holder. "And you'll fall through if you continue to sit there." The priestess soon came out quickly with the firewood holder on her back.

"Don't you have to bring your bow and arrows?" Inuyasha jumped down from the roof in front of the priestess. His landing spot was so accurate that his face was just a few millimeters from the priestess'. Kikyo's face turned red for the first time.

_What's happening…? My heart's beating fast…_

Inuyasha's face was the same. Red blood had started flushing on his cheeks. This was the first time he had gone near such a human. If he was an aggressive enemy, he could have been dead by now. He could not draw himself away as he enjoyed the good scent of the priestess that had hit his sensitive nose.

Kikyo got control of herself. Closing her eyes, she began to walk away from the half-demon. "Please go do something more meaningful," she replied back as she walked away from him. Her face was still red from the incident. "I'm off to collect firewood."

"I'll help you collect it!" Inuyasha replied back as he suddenly grabbed the firewood holder hanging from the priestess' shoulders like a light feather. Placing on his shoulder, he walked along with the priestess. The half-demon proceeded to take off the bandana off his head, revealing the twitching white dog ears sticking out from his hair. Only he did not notice was Kikyo giving back a small warm smile.

_So Inuyasha is really that sweet after all…_

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The afternoon sun shone brightly on the forest. Inuyasha was watching every of Kikyo's moves. The moves were of her bending down to pick up the fallen branches of the trees as she returned to put them into the firewood holder. He continued to stare at her through his amber eyes.

_Kikyo looks cute when she smiles and does simple tasks…_

The priestess only continued to pick up the wooden branches that have fallen from their original positions in between the thick green leaves. Without her bow and arrow, she was just an ordinary person. Only such a menial task like that could help her feel like a free human for some time.

The hot sun had drained the priestess of much energy. She sat down on one side of the trunk, with Inuyasha sitting near her. Lying down the firewood holder, he sat on the grass like a dog. Kikyo began to do strange thing. Soon, she was flapping her clothes a little as the temperature was hot and humid. (A/N: I know this is a little ecchi, but bear with me.)

The _hanyou_'s eyes widened as his human nature caused him to shift his focus to Kikyo's body. As Kikyo loosened her white _hakui_, she revealed a little of her cleavage. Inuyasha continued to stare at it before returning to his senses.

_I'm a real pervert! What was I looking at her for…?_

The half-demon gave himself a slap in return, leaving Kikyo perplexed at his sudden behavior. Surely, it was not normal of _youkai _to do such things. Perhaps the heat had reached him as well and made him a little abnormal too. Re-tightening her _hakui_, Kikyo got up to take the firewood holder. However, a swift _hanyou _arm suddenly took it and placed it on the shoulders.

"I'll take it for you!" Inuyasha screeched back as he walked ahead. The half-demon was not himself again, leaving a confused but emotionless Kikyo behind.

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"Inuyasha, it's getting dark," Kikyo called back to the half-demon. She signaled to the half-human boy as he returned to follow her. The sky had turned orange and it was probably an hour before all had turned dark.

"Inuyasha," she questioned the _hanyou _as he walked alongside with her. "What are you thinking about?" She looked at the red-faced person beside her. The priestess continued to walk on the path back to the village as several rows of trees passed the couple.

_She's asking me what I'm thinking about…???_

"Nothing," came Inuyasha's fake reply. He lowered his head while continuing to walk alongside the priestess. Kikyo continued to respond with looking ahead of the path.

"That…I see…" She spoke back softly for the first time with a warm tone in her voice. Inuyasha's ear twitched as her soft tone reached his sensitive hearing organ. "Why are you helping me?"

"No reason," came his fake response again. Kikyo turned her head to look at him this time. Inuyasha tried to maintain a calm posture but his ears were always twitching to show his fear. Kikyo shifted her eyes to see the ears that were constantly moving.

_This boy is really a secretive one…_

"If there is something you need to say," Kikyo gave a warm reply in her tone. Her original coldness had diminished and Inuyasha was seeing the real priestess in person. "Please feel free to tell me. We're friends, aren't we?"

_Kikyo treats me as a friend…?!?_

Inuyasha looked up to see the priestess. A wave of shock splashed over his face. So the priestess had no space for courtship but only for the protection of the Shikon Jewel. Soon, the sight of the village came into the scene.

"You've something to say?"

"N-nothing," Inuyasha gave himself away. He laid the firewood holder down. "I think these are all the firewood you need." He attempted to make himself scarce from the area and return to the trees to rest.

"Inuyasha!"

He stopped in his track to turn behind to see Kikyo approaching him. She walked closer to the _hanyou_, causing his heart to beat faster. She tiptoed up to him, closing her eyes. As she pushed her hands against the strong body of Inuyasha, he closed his eyes, fantasizing about a kiss from Kikyo. He only felt a warm kiss on his soft cheek.

Inuyasha re-opened his eyes to see a smiling Kikyo. "Thank you for accompanying me," Kikyo spoke as she looked at him with her brown eyes. For a rare time, the dog demon had flushed in his face and decided to reveal his true self. "I must go now. Farewell." She gave her goodbye address as she strolled back to the village as soon as she had carried the firewood holder on her shoulders.

Inuyasha gave a slight smile in return, with his fangs showing a little in his mouth. He had never been kissed before, but with a feeling of being showered with human concern that made him happy than before. However, in the distance, a small whisper simply echoed without the couple noticing anything.

_The love curse…Kikyo's first step towards death…_

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**Okay done. Up for the next chapter anyway. I forgot to mentioned that I own only Kaori anyway. See ya all soon!**

**Glossary:**

**_Ohayou Gozaimasu _: Good morning in Japanese. (A/N: Wait a minute, did I write this before?)**


	14. By The River

**Chapter Fourteen: By The River**

**I guess that's the next chapter. In the next story, there would be much less emphasis on what are the 'adventurous' parts of Kikyo's life, but more on the romance part. (Yes, to all those who like to see Kikyo X Inuyasha pairings.) Okay, enjoy this story.**

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**Chapter Fourteen**

All was still for the shrine that sat on the top of the small hill. The changing season had caused the emerald leaves of the trees to turn into dazzling colours of red, yellow and orange. Autumn had set in, leaving summer behind. The temperature had also turned cooler too. A certain large spider did not care about such weather changes. It simply crawled its way up to the shrine where it saw its pink aura been emanated from it. Surely, this was the place where the Shikon Jewel was kept. Slowly as it could, the spider _youkai _attempted to break into the temple. Suddenly, an arrow hit its abdomen, causing it to squeal in pain.

Its many eyes shifted to see its attacker. The priestess of the shrine had somehow detected its discreet movements and had quickly rushed to the place to protect the Shikon Jewel. The arrow started to glow light blue as it began to purify the demon. Soon the foe fell limp, signaling its death.

"Bring it to the Bone Eaters Well," Kikyo commanded a few villagers who had escorted her to the shrine. "I wonder when this madness will stop," she spoke as she closed her eyes again, lowering down her wooden bow.

The priestess took her turn to observe the surroundings. The temperature was dropping and turning cooler. Rice harvests were about soon before the freezing winter would set in to stop all living plants from actively thriving on the brown earth. Each time she had to do her duties, a certain _hanyou _would always help her in completing these village tasks.

_Don't worry, I'll help you out…_

She could remember the time when Inuyasha said these words that rang in her head. His initial expressionless mouth had slowly turned into a slight smile throughout the season where he had helped her. For now, she was turning into someone different, someone who had managed to express herself to other individuals. Grabbing her bow tightly, she continued to look at the shrine which laid in serenity while the villagers took the carcass of the dead _youkai _away to the well.

_Could I…I be falling in love…?_

The sentence rang in her mind loudly. She was not supposed to have a unique relationship with anyone. After all, she was a priestess that had to be devoid of emotions which was the greatest duty to be fulfilled too. Kikyo shook off the idea in her sub-conscience as she returned to the village which lay baked in the afternoon sun's light.

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"Hey Kikyo," the priestess heard from the top of the roof again as she was about to enter her hut. Inuyasha was standing on the roof of her home again, looking at her. "Don't you have any tasks to do today?"

"No," she replied shaking her head. Looking up to the _hanyou _again, she called out to him, "Please get off that roof. It'll fall through if you don't." Inuyasha responded by jumping down to the ground again with a soft landing.

"Inuyasha," she suddenly spoke from behind as she was about to enter her humble abode. "Why do you wish to help me? Each time you replied that it was for no reason that you helped me."

"No reason," he shrugged his head as he looked at her from behind. The dog demon knew he was lying through his own teeth, but he refused to say that he was smitten with her. It was simply too exhausting for him to express the truth.

"Then," she replied back, still refusing to turn around to face the _hanyou_. "Did you take a liking to me?" Inuyasha froze as he looked at the priestess who had hit his raw nerve. "Answer me," she questioned back strictly.

"You…you…are like a…" His voice trailed off as he spoke quietly which was unusual of him. "…like a very very close friend to me." Kikyo's eyes widened as she heard what Inuyasha had spoken. He only treated her as a close friend only.

_So I must have misunderstood everything…_

The priestess put a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes for a while. She regained her calm posture after awhile. "Please leave," she spoke suddenly to Inuyasha as she cupped her mouth. She continued to retain her calm state again. "I'm not feeling too well." Closing the door behind him, she stood down on the ground, looking into space for a long time and leaving a confused Inuyasha outside the hut.

"Hey priestess," he knocked on the wooden door. "Open up. I wanted to show you something." He continued to knock violently on it. Kikyo opened her eyes and regained her senses. "It's okay if you're not feeling well," his voice sounded form outside. "I won't bother you if you're unwell."

There was no response to the half-demon outside the wooden hut. He looked down for a while, with disappointment in his eyes. Taking his claws, Inuyasha looked at the sandy ground for a while. He observed it for a while.

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Kikyo opened her door to find that Inuyasha had disappeared. He had probably returned to the woods since she was unwell. A sign greeted her in front of the house. It was written in _manyougana_, showing that Inuyasha had written it.

_Kawa de deaimashou. Minai naraba, ikimasen. _

The words were read out as the priestess continued to look at them. She gave a slight smile at what Inuyasha had written on the ground. The only problem was he did not indicate any time for the meeting. However she only made a small giggle at what Inuyasha had missed. Knowing that he must have meant the evening, she looked at the sky. It was also about time that she had proceeded to the river bank to see him.

_I wonder what he had prepared for me…_

Kikyo walked slowly as she prepared to enter the woods where the river bank was at. She suddenly felt a small tug at her leg as she turned behind to see what was holding her back.

"Kaede?!?" She questioned back in amazement as the little sibling stood beside her looking at her with her single eye. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that," her little sister replied with arms akimbo. She gave an annoyed but adorable expression on her face. "_Onee-san_, where are you going? The Sun is already setting."

"I have to do something first," she replied to her little sister. Kneeling on one knee and holding her sister's shoulders, she gave a warm smile to the little girl. "Don't wait for me at home. Go to Kanazawa-_jiisan_'s home first and wait for me to take you back." Kaede gave a slight nod as she ran back to the village. She stopped for a moment and turned back to look at her elder sister.

"Bye _Onee-san_!" She waved back at her sister with a smile before running down the hill to the village. Kikyo turned back to travel through the woods that would lead her to the river side.

"So you did read my message, eh?" Inuyasha sneered in a cheerful tone as he replied back to her while waiting by the river. Kikyo looked down with a slight glum look while looking at the green grass by the water. The priestess gave a nod in return. "Human girls are weird, after all."

Inuyasha took her soft hand abruptly. For the first time, he had touched a human with the soft skin. His face turned a little red, with Kikyo's cheeks a little more crimson than his. She followed him as he brought her along the river side.

"Where are you bring me?" Kikyo questioned the _inu-hanyou._ He did not reply. Her answer was to come into sight within moments. The village jetty was in sight, but with no one to be seen. Usually, it was supposed to be full of the village fishermen who had to bring back the fish for dinner in the evening. "How did you get…?"

"Well, I scared them away," he replied for a while before laughing out loud a little. "There is too much fish already rotting in your homes already." He continued to laugh before seeing a slightly annoyed Kikyo looking at him. His laugh lessened into a simple smile. Feeling like he had a large sweat drop on his head, he placed his hands on the priestess' shoulders. "Don't worry, it's only for one time."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Just get in the boat," he gave back his reply. The half-demon pointed to the floating boat on the water. The current was a little calm as it continued to bob up and down in the water.

"But I won't be able to protect the village…"

"No buts!" He snapped back at her. Grabbing her by the hand, he guided Kikyo onto the boat. She could only agree to board the boat as the _hanyou _gently led her onto the floating contraption. Taking the wooden stick nearby, he proceeded to row the boat from the wooden jetty. Fishes swam throughout the clear waters of the moving river.

"Why do you want me to take this senseless boat ride?" Kikyo questioned as he continued to guide the boat up the course of the river. For a half-demon like him, it was possible for him to summon enough strength to guide the boat against the river current. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"I just want you to relax," he replied as he continued to look ahead at the boat. He continued to stick the wooden pole in the water to guide the boat along the river. "A great priestess like you deserves a break too." He complimented his passenger.

_That tree is so beautiful…_

Kikyo had shifted her focus to one certain tree which still had most of its leaves on it. Knowing that the current was not flowing in that portion, Inuyasha took out the wooden pole and placed on the boat. He sat down on the deck while watching the priestess observe the tree. Her smile alone made him happy too. Knowing that he did not want to do anything strange, he simply maintained a fierce expression as he looked at her. Kikyo was not paying attention, for she was looking at the orange and red tree.

_But soon…it'll lose its leaves and became another sleeping tree again…_

She looked at the tree which had its leaves still on it. It was to drop them soon and fall into a deep hibernation. It clearly represented her thoughts too.

_When I fall into an eternal sleep…what would happen to the Shikon Jewel…?_

These thoughts swirled through her mind. She looked at Inuyasha as he continued to maintain a fierce gaze at her as soon as her eyes had made contact with his.

_Will Inuyasha take the Shikon Jewel after I die…?_

"Why are you looking at me like this?" Inuyasha questioned back, feeling a little annoyed that she was staring at him with a peaceful gaze. His cheeks turned a little red as she continued to look at him. There was silence. Only the flow of the water continued to make the surrounding ambience.

Kikyo regained her focus and returned to her conscience. She shook her head a little as she returned to look up at the _hanyou. _"It's nothing," she replied to him. "Thank you for bringing me out on this trip." She returned his sudden cold stare with a warm smile which lightened up his mood.

"It's nothing," he replied back with a coy expression. He looked at the sun which was rapidly returning below the horizon. "You'd better return. The night is coming." Kikyo nodded her head as she relaxed on the boat. He slowly took the wooden stick, and began to maneuver the boat back to the jetty. The sounds of birds chirping sounded the area coupled with the beautiful hues of the nearby trees.

The boat stopped at the wooden jetty as it arrived back. Kikyo took her bow as she climbed up onto the wooden boardwalk guided by Inuyasha's strong grip on her hand. Failing to notice a slight uneven level between the wooden planks that made up the deck, her wooden slippers was caught in one bump as she suddenly fell onto Inuyasha's strong body. Dropping her bow, she clutched his red _haori _from falling further.

The half-demon grabbed her with his hands. For the first time, both of them hugged each other basked in the orange evening sun. Inuyasha leaned down and hugged her tightly for the first time.

_Konna kimochi ga...Nanda...?_

A strange new feeling had sprung up in her heart.

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**More pointless romantic fluff for this part, this is probably one of the fluffiest chapters I guess. Okay, I guess that should be all for now. See ya for now!**

**Glossary:**

**_Manyougana _: The Japanese written system then.**

**_Kawa de deaimashou. Minai naraba, ikimasen. _: This means 'Let's meet at the river. If we don't see each other, I won't leave.'**

**_Jiisan_ : Grandfather in Japanese. What Kikyo had meant is that of a respectable elder in the village.**

**_Konna kimochi ga...Nanda...? _: This means 'This kind of feeling...What is it...?'**


	15. A Night to Remember

**Chapter Fifteen: A Night to Remember**

**Up on the next chapter, it will feature even more fluff than ever. But for you readers out there just take note that there won't be any lemons inside this story for I may separate the lemon part from the original. (This is not supposed to be for R rating anyway!) Okay, enough of talking, let's go on!**

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**Chapter Fifteen**

_This feeling…This feeling…_

Kikyo stayed in Inuyasha's arms as they both continued to hug each tightly. An unknown feeling had stirred up inside her, but it was a good feeling that her inner self desired. She continued to clutch the _hanyou_'s red _haori _as she continued to question her conscience.

…_I feel so safe in his arms…Is this how love is felt…?_

The priestess released herself from the half-demon's grasp and looked at him. He had a blushing face, with his dog ears twitching a lot. Her face too was of a shade of red. Inuyasha, desiring that feeling of safety too in his heart, returned to hug her tightly again.

"Kikyo…" His voice trembled as he looked down at the deck of the wooden jetty. His cold hard shell was breaking up, revealing his softer inner character. "…I…I…" He felt the priestess place a finger on his lips. She shook her head a little and smiled back meekly.

"Thank you for catching my fall," she spoke calmly at the half-demon who was looking at her now with soft amber eyes instead. She released herself from his grip. "Now I must return to the village." She began to walk away from the jetty onto the dry land which was coupled with the orange sky through the bordering horizon.

"Kikyo…I…I…" He was stuttering for one of the rare times as he turned to see the priestess who was moving further and further from him. "…I'm not worthy of you…" His voice trailed down as he looked down at the ground again. The set of words made the priestess' eyes widen as she turned back to see the _hanyou _turning back to return to the woods.

_I must be the greatest idiot in the world…_

The words churned in his conscience. He began walking back to the forest slowly, with his heavy feet dragging on the floor a little. He knew he had a chance to tell the priestess, but simply thrown it away by stuttering and not telling her in time.

_A great idiot…Maybe that's what hanyous really are…_

"Inuyasha," he heard Kikyo's voice from behind. She had not returned to her village yet apparently. The half-demon heard the dropping of the bow before feeling two soft arms wrapping around his waist. His eyes widened with his mouth wide open although his teeth were clamped together. "Don't say that." (A/N: Yes, I stole this scene from various Korean dramas, and for those who are fans of such romantic shows.)

Inuyasha took the soft hands of the priestess as he placed them to his heart. Bringing Kikyo closer to his back, he looked at the sky with the forlorn lovesick eyes. The priestess only stood behind his back. "Kikyo…" He spoke softly but loud enough for her to hear. She closed her eyes as she continued to hear his words. "…I'm just not worthy of you..." He released her hands from his larger ones.

"Inuyasha," she spoke softly but continued to maintain her calm state. "I don't believe in the distinction between _youkai _or _ningen_. It is in the heart that makes the distinction." Her words made Inuyasha realize what she had meant. He turned behind to look at the priestess who was looking up at him.

"But…but you're a _miko_," he replied back to her, looking at her with the sad eyes of his. "I don't wish to stain your pure human blood with my heathen tainted blood." Inuyasha turned his back again to her. He was on the stage of self-berating with insulting himself. Kikyo suddenly realized what Inuyasha's mindset was.

_So that's what Inuyasha really is…a lost child with low self-esteem…_

The truth swirled in her mind. She walked to Inuyasha's front to face him. The half-demon raised his head to look at the priestess. She returned a meek smile again. "Inuyasha," a soft tone emerged from the priestess' mouth. "You love me, don't you?"

The _hanyou _looked up at her instantly. "I…I admit I like you," he replied taking one of her hands onto his and enclosing it. "But…you're a…"

"Say no more," she replied back putting her fair finger to his lips again. She closed her eyes, tiptoeing up to the half-demon. He closed his eyes too as he lowered down to reach her face as well. Their lips met as a simple smooch completed the kiss. Kikyo re-opened her eyes to look at the half-demon's amber eyes looking at her back too. Soon after, the couple hugged each other tightly again.

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha gathered up his courage in a soft whisper. "_Ai…Aishiteru yo._" Kikyo simple snuggled up against his body. It was so final. She had now at least received a taste of what humans called love, which broke her cold attitude.

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The night had fallen. Stars now lit the night sky instead. Kikyo sat by the forest, with Inuyasha near her. The half-demon was in his usual sitting position, with Kikyo continuing to look at the blue-black heavens studded with the stars. The crescent moon lit up the rest of the sky.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Kikyo tried to lighten the atmosphere by breaking the strong silence. Inuyasha turned his head to look at the priestess who was looking relaxed for one of the rare times.

"Are you sure you don't wish to return to the village?" The half-demon questioned the priestess. She gave a shake as a reply. "What about the Shikon Jewel?"

"It is safe. I can feel no _jaki _in this area."

A sudden chilly breeze blew by, causing Kikyo to give a slight sneeze. The _inu-hanyou _took off his red _haori _and placed it on the priestess' shoulders. She turned to look at a more cheerful face on the dog demon's face.

"This should keep you warm," he spoke back to her as he sat down beside her on the soft grass.

"What about you?"

"I'm still half a demon," he replied back bravely. "I'm almost immune to disease." His false courage was to be exposed when he suddenly gave a sneeze as another cold flow of wind blew by. "It's nothing," he replied.

"You should have it," Kikyo took off the red top and placed it on Inuyasha's shoulders again. After all, I must set an example to my people by keeping healthy." She spoke solemnly as she turned back to look at the sky. Suddenly, the priestess remembered about how Inuyasha had written words on the ground and how he had scratched words on one of the wooden doors of her hut.

"Inuyasha, how did you turn out to be literate?"

The half-demon turned to look at the priestess again. She moved her head to look into the _hanyou_'s eyes. He looked down again at the grass before looking up at the crescent yellow moon sailing across the sky. "In my childhood," he suddenly spoke to the priestess. "My mother taught me to learn literal items."

Kikyo continued to look at the sky, but knowing that she was interested in how a _hanyou _managed to be that literate. "Literal items? You mean the classics?" She spoke; knowing once that she had saw her father read such literal books. "You're quite a refined person, Inuyasha," she complimented the half-demon.

_Kikyo…she complimented me?!? _

She had complimented him for the first time. In all his life he had never been complimented by anyone, but only to be criticized or insulted by both _youkai _and _ningen_. His face produced a small smile but he concealed it. "Probably," he replied back. "It was such a long time ago. Probably a century back."

"A century back?" She suddenly exclaimed back at his memory at remembering how to write. "You have a good memory, Inuyasha, for being able to remember how to write." Kikyo gave a slight chuckle back at complimenting him. Inuyasha looked down at the grass to conceal his flushing cheeks.

"It's no use for me since I'm a demon too," he replied back softly. "A _youkai _only needs to be strong. There is no need for me to learn human skills at all."

"I don't think so," she shook her head looking at the half-demon. "You have talented skills that could be made to use, besides attacking other _youkai _to become stronger." Inuyasha shifted his focus to look at the priestess.

"You sound like my _okaa-sama_," he suddenly responded to Kikyo's advice.

_Okaa-sama? He addresses his mother that politely…?_

"You addressed your mother a _sama_?" Kikyo questioned the _hanyou _curiously. "Won't that make your mother a…"

"A _kizoku_." Inuyasha interrupted back, knowing that the priestess near him was probing into his mysterious past too much. He gave a sharp stare at Kikyo through his yellowish-golden eyes. "What else do you want to know about me?!?"

Kikyo retreated a little from the half-demon. He was not too pleased about her asking about his past, and where he grew up. "If your _ningen _family was _kizoku_," she questioned out of curiosity. "Then you must have come from Kyoto."

"Don't remind me of that damned place!!!"

The priestess stood a little back at Inuyasha's sudden outburst. He panted a little from the shouting. "Sorry," came his soft reply and remorseful tone. "Sorry I shouted. I just don't want to know anything about that place."

_So Inuyasha's not any ordinary person…_

Another jigsaw puzzle of Inuyasha's past had unlocked in Kikyo's mind. The half-demon was probably of the _kizoku _class from the capital. She looked at the _hanyou _who had cooled down his anger. Inuyasha simply looked at the grass, with a listless expression.

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The night was deep. A dark figure came down from the branches to observe a couple sleeping by one of the trees. Covered with a large red _haori_, a half-demon with dog ears and silvery hair hugged an innocent-looking priestess with her hair still tied with the cotton ribbons as they lay deep in slumber. The mysterious person had so discreetly moved down from the branches that even the half-demon was unable to detect the movements with his sensitive ears.

_A forbidden union is made…heaven will punish such a couple…_

The dark figure continued to look at the sleeping couple before discreetly moving off into the darkness of the night.

Inuyasha stirred as he detected the strong sunlight hitting on his eyes. He opened them to see that it was already late morning. Birds chirped as the trees continued to shed their orange and yellow leaves. The red _haori _had been wrapped around him.

_Kikyo must have returned to the village…_

"Kikyo-_mikosan_," he whispered to himself as he looked at the strong sun. "The new reason for my existence in this selfish and cruel world." The _hanyou _only gave an expression of determination to himself.

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**Done for now! I'll try to update as soon as possible. Until then, goodbye!**

**Glossary:**

**_Haori _: The upper top for traditional Japanese male garments.**

**_Aishiteru yo _: This means 'I love you'.**

**_Sama _: A more polite form of addressing a person.**

**_Kizoku _: Nobility class in Japan.**

**_Kyoto _: This is for those who don't really know a touch of Japan. Anyway, Kyoto is the old capital of Japan from AD 747 to AD 1868.**


	16. White Winter

**Chapter Sixteen: White Winter**

**Hmmm…I'm back after much busy work. Anyway, I'll be posting quite often if I have the time to write new chapters. For those who had patiently waited for this story, I'd like to thank you again for waiting for such a long time. (More than 3 months!) Okay, here goes the chapter!**

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**Chapter Sixteen**

The temperature had become too cold for crops to thrive. Frozen rain fell on the once emerald grasslands of the vast land. The area had become enveloped in white snow, with not a single sign of plant life to be found with the exception of the pine trees. The Japanese winter had arrived.

Kikyo trudged through the thick snow layers covering the ground. Wearing a straw hat with some other stalks of straw to insulate herself, she continued her way while a certain half-demon watched her from a distance. The priestess stopped for a moment.

"Inuyasha," she spoke slowly with calmness in her tone, lowering her head for a second. "Thank you."

"Huh?"

"Thank you for coming along to help me complete this task," she replied back, turning her head towards him with a slight smile.

"Shut up," he snapped back instantly, folding his hands with a huff. "I just need to polish my skills as a demon." Kikyo gave a small chuckle for a brief moment before turning her head back and continuing to trudge across the deep snow. Her eyes suddenly spotted something sinister moving through the snow.

_It's here._

"Kikyo-_sama_!" One of the villagers came running towards the priestess who had just finished her ritual bath in cold water among the cold winter climate. In his hand was a brown parchment scroll, which seemed to contain something urgent from his mannerism. The priestess looked at the approaching villager with an unsurprised look. "A pigeon just came with this scroll attached to one of its feet." He handed out the parchment scroll.

"Thank you, Takahashi_-san_," came the priestess' reply. She took the scroll into her own hands, and unrolled it. The piece of paper revealed several characters which only the most literate of people could read. Moving her eyes from left to right for a few moments, she closed back the scroll and looked at Takahashi. "Please tell the others to guard Kaede." Within less than five minutes, Kikyo turned to the north and began walking off with her bow and arrows.

"B-b-but _mikosama_," the villager shouted back to her. "Who will take care of the sacred jewel?"

"It'll be safe, rest assured," her only reply as she maintained her path into the deep forest.

The villager gave a quick bow to the departing priestess. "Yes, _mikosama_."

"This is killing me!" the half-demon felt a sharp aura stinging his body. He awoke from his slumber on a tall leafless tree branch to find the place filled with blue aura. It was anti-_youkai_ aura, and it warded any demon even that of half-demons.

_I must get out of here before I die of the crazy aura here!_

Inuyasha jumped off the tree branch to the other, finding the boundary of the aura created.

_It must be that stupid Kikyo who did this! Is she out to destroy me?_

His sharp amber eyes caught the sight of a certain lone figure walking across the snow, with much straw covering her shoulders, and a straw hat. In her arms were the famous bow and arrows of the priestess he knew.

_I better follow her unsuspected!_

The half-demon continued to jump from tree to tree to track the walking priestess down.

The priestess stopped for a moment. She turned back to check for any followers. Behind a tree trunk she spotted red cloth flowing along with the strong cold wind. Giving a small smile, she turned back to continue on her path. Shortly after, a certain half-demon followed after her.

"Inuyasha."

The half-demon froze.

"Can I ask you a favour?" The priestess asked. There was no reply. She closed her eyes for a moment and gave a small laugh.

_What the heck is this priestess doing?_

"There's been a report in the north of a certain demon terrorizing the villagers, and attacking travelers. Can you assist me in assailing this threat, even if you are a demon too?"

There was no reply from the half-demon still. Kikyo gave another short smile, and continued to trudge through the thick white snow, with a certain half-demon following her yet again.

Kikyo's eyes spotted the moving thing. With one swift arm, she took out one arrow and stretched it against the bowstring. Her eyes turned from calm to bellicose. The arrow's rear pushed against the stretching bowstring.

Her fingers released its grip on the bow.

With a quick move, the arrow's pointed end thrusted towards its target. It was not long before something howled in pain, with crimson substance beginning to stain the white snow. The object ran off again quickly without being seen by the priestess' eyes. Kikyo's eyes widened from her failure to subjugate.

_Impossible…how did it do with such swiftness?_

"_Sankou tessou!_" Came the famous war cry of the half-demon. Inuyasha's claws glowed as they shot out the yellow projectiles which instantly damaged the demon. It created a large explosion as snow was threw over the area like dust was whipped up in a desert storm.

"Impressive," the demon spoke sinisterly as a dark figure began to reveal itself through the wake of the explosion. It revealed itself in human form with dark purple streaks striking across its face, and with red pupils. An evil smile stretched across its dark-looking face. "To think a _HANYOU _can touch me." The stressed words sounded an angry instinct within Inuyasha.

"Be gone, demon!" Kikyo shouted at the enemy, pointing another arrow at it. The arrow began to glow with an azure color, that of purification. "To be able to take a thousand human lives will you deserve your punishment!"

"_Miko-san_," he spoke sinisterly turning his terrifying gaze towards the priestess. "I congratulate you on your courage to confront me, a top-notch demon. This is my turf of terror, and I am surprised the villagers can be so discrete enough to summon a priestess from another region."

"Stop your boasting," Kikyo swept away his flattery of the priestess. She pulled the bow string further back. "I'll now end your terror in this world. Be gone to the nether world!"

"Oh? Try me."

Kikyo closed her eyes. Her fingers slowly released their grip on the bow string, one by one. The arrow began to glow more intensely with the blue purifying aura it contained within, given by the special power of the priestess herself.

The arrow began its rapid move towards the demon that simply stood there on the snow, continuing to bellow a loud laugh. It produced a sudden thin pinkish aura around itself, as the arrow neared it. An explosion followed by after the impacting of the blue aura onto the pink aura.

_Was he vanquished?_

The explosion cleared. The specks of snow dust cleared, revealing an empty scenery with no sign of the demon who had been standing there minutes ago. Suddenly, it dawned on Kikyo that Inuyasha's presence was missing. Her eyes widened with shock.

"_Miko-kisama_," the _youkai_'s voice sounded through the entire area. "I'm so sorry that your companion was substituted with my skill." A red piece of cloth revealed itself among the resultant heap of snow created by the fusion of the purifying aura and the aura which the demon had put up. A chilly wind blew again, blowing Kikyo's priestess clothing, and revealing something that was actually impossible.

"INUYASHA!"

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**Okay, end of chapter. Well…I suppose to make it end like some short chapter. And it did. I put kinda' a cliff-hanger on this one. Hmmm…see ya' soon around!**

**Glossary:**

**Nothing much today, right? ;)**


	17. Camping in the Cold

**Chapter Seventeen: Camping in the Cold**

**Well…more of the goodness of Kikyo X Inuyasha pairings again. Earlier on, I had introduced a certain cliffhanger to the plot where Kikyo shouted Inuyasha's name. Here's the next chapter to this story. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Seventeen**

Kikyo rushed to where the piece of red cloth stuck out from the white snow. Another chilly wind blew the still atmosphere of the area. The demon was already probably gone, judging that she could not sense his presence.

"Bah!" The half-demon got up from the snow, rubbing away the blood stain from his injured mouth. There were bruises covering over his bare arms. "Where did that freaking _youkai _go to now?"

_Where's the arrow that I shot?_

"What?" Inuyasha looked at the priestess who was staring at him.

"Nothing…" she replied back softly. Her mind began to wander off, questioning for the location of the purifying arrow she had just shot. She turned back to look at the half-demon again. "We have to find that demon. He's a force not easily subdued."

"Pah! Any demon is easy for me to kill!" Inuyasha boasted with his egoistic approach. His ego was far too big to accept failure. He folded his bruised arms, closing his eyes for a moment. "It's just careless of me to let this idiot demon slip!"

_Inuyasha…always was trying to behave tough…_

"What again?" Inuyasha snapped back at the priestess who was giving a small smile at him. The wind blew again, with her tied hair following its direction. "If you're gonna' look at me one more time, I'll…" He folded up his red sleeves to the priestess.

"Something's not right here," Kikyo replied with a short sentence.

"You didn't get that thing?" A black haired priestess stood before a demon with snakes crawling around her body. She stared hard at him. "No jewel, no aid given to you."

"She had a _hanyou _with her," the demon replied back with the shining purple streaks on his face. "And she attempted to kill me with her purifying arrows."

"Oh, is it?" Tsubaki questioned back with a sudden interest shining in her eyes. She raised one arm, with a green snake encircling it. "So did you take any damage?"

"I won't be here if I had received an arrow," the response made the dark priestess' eyes widen at what he had just said.

_Impossible…how can Kikyo miss…?_

Tsubaki gave a sharp smirk after a few seconds, and closed her eyes. "So it is true," she spoke back with her eyes still closed. "You may pursue her another time. And be sure to take this jewel this time."

"I won't risk my life for such a priestess who has powerful purifying power!" he snapped back at the priestess. Tsubaki looked back at the demon.

"What a pity," she made a sympathetic sound. "Surely, you won't want me to give you a send-off, am I right?" She whispered a few words which made the demon glow such that it suddenly caused excruciating pain to him as he howled.

"OKAY, I'LL GO BACK AND DEFEAT THEM," the _youkai _panicked and begged for mercy as a talisman on his back tried to purify him. "Just don't purify me away!"

"Very well," Tsubaki replied back with her long flowing black hair blowing with the direction of the coming wind. "It was your choice. Now go!"

The demon sprinted off as soon as she had raised one finger to the direction of the north. "And be sure to come back with the jewel!" She shouted to him, continuing to maintain a smirk on her face.

_This time…Kikyo…I'll be better than you, and I having the jewel would be much better off…_

"Kikyo," Inuyasha looked at the priestess who had sat beside him. Night had fallen, and a small fire had been set up with the few twigs found deep in the snow. It was the only visible warm item amongst the snow-covered plains. "I can't understand what you're saying. What do you mean by you shot me with a purification arrow?"

"If you didn't take the damage from my arrows," she pondered over the mystery. "Then did he take the damage?"

_But it is impossible…he'd have died instantly when shot by my arrows…_

"Priestess?" The half-demon crept up behind her rapidly, only to be hit comically by one of her arms in which he fell back into the snow.

"Don't disturb when I'm pondering over important matters," Kikyo replied back sarcastically with her eyes closed. The half-demon got up, with an irate look on his face with of course a red mark on where the arm had whacked him.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"Nothing," she replied back coldly this time. "I have no idea where my arrows have gone to."

"So that's what you've been pondering around all this time?" Inuyasha was getting a little irritated at Kikyo's preoccupancy with the matter earlier on. "It's just some freaking arrows!"

"Inuyasha…" Kikyo replied back abruptly but softly. "If you had purification items, you will worry about them being lost too, because it can be quite dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. And the arrows I shot did not disappear since the _youkai _is still around."

"So what does this crap mean?" Inuyasha answered like he had never heard anything. "If it's gone, then it's gone."

"Did you feel anything during the battle?" Kikyo questioned him out of the blue.

"What feeling?"

"Like any strange feeling."

"If you could want me to count in," Inuyasha shrugged his head. "I only had the feeling of wanting to defeat the demon." The priestess was silent again as there was no reply back. She looked deeply in the orange color of the fire. Another chilly wind blew across, causing some snow to fall from the high branches, with some impacting on Inuyasha's head.

"Woah! It's cold," he looked up at the tree which contained much snow on its branches. He turned back to look at Kikyo. "Hey, don't you have anything beside straw to keep warm?"

"I have only straw to wear as winter clothing," she replied back sharply but not turning to look at the half-demon once. "Unlike yours, you have a rich winter _kimono _to wear." Inuyasha responded with a comical sweat drop look on his face.

"It's not some rich winter _kimono_ as you perceived it to be," the _hanyou_'s tone become solemn and serious suddenly. "It's something unique. Watch." All of a sudden, Inuyasha took off his red coat and threw it on the fire. Kikyo stared for a moment before realizing what was going on.

"You're really foolish to burn your own _kimono_," she replied back to Inuyasha. However, she was to be soon proven wrong. The fire continued to burn, and the red coat continued to remain unscathed. "Magic?"

"Just a blessed coat," he replied stretching out his hand to take back the red coat. Readjusting it on his shoulders, he shared the same gaze as Kikyo towards the burning fire, with the priestess pausing for a moment to take another twig to light it. "The Robe of the Fire Rat."

"My teacher used to tell me about such a mystical item," the priestess responded to Inuyasha's speech. "But I never believed such a thing existed. So it can really resist fire?"

The half-demon continued to look at the burning fire, ignoring what Kikyo had said. "Never mind, that was a stupid of me to ask," she gave a small chuckle before taking another wooden twig to fuel the fire which had held out against the cold. "We can't find that demon until it's daylight."

"Why daylight? Can't it be now?"

"I'm just a mere human," Kikyo replied back slowly, showing a humane and kind gaze in her eyes. "People may assume that I have the powers of a goddess, but I'm just a human actually with much of the disabilities." Her expression had turned from a neutral and calm one to that of a sad moody expression.

"Fine fine! Then daylight!" Inuyasha snapped back impatitently. The priestess maintained her gaze into the campfire continuously.

_Now where are that priestess and that wretched half-demon?_

The demon ran from tree to tree, quickly sprinting across to spot the scent of the priestess and her _hanyou_ helper. His hand, filled with claws similar to Inuyasha's, clutched tightly as he continued to make a rapid move across the snowy plains.

"Now now, demon," he heard of the laughing half-demon whose voice came out of nowhere. "You're searching for that priestess right? I warn you; that jewel is mine."

The evil demon stopped and stared at the emerging figure of Inuyasha from the dark trees.

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**End of this chapter! Time to update next time. I'll see ya all next time! Bye!**

**Glossary:**

_**Nothing much so far!**_


	18. Discovery

**Chapter Eighteen: Discovery**

**Hmmm…I can't think of much to say. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter here, and it signals the end of this three chapter part. **

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**Chapter Eighteen**

"What pity, _hanyou_," the demon with purple streaks on his face spoke sarcastically closing his eyes. "To oppose the power of Akumaru is to mean certain death, even for a demon."

"Pah! Shut up, old demon!" Inuyasha sneered back, obviously looking down on any demon who called him a _hanyou_. "It's you who is going down!"

Without warning, the half-demon felt a sudden current of wind surged across him when suddenly blood spurted out from his side. In his eyes were just signs of shock.

_Impossible…how did he do it?_

"You cannot defeat the ancient technique of _kazejutsu_," Akamaru replied back arrogantly at the half-demon who collapsed on his knees. "With a powerful chant, the wind can be summoned at high speed enough to be like a sword blade."

"_Kusou…_" Inuyasha got up from the white snow, the red drops of blood dripping distinct from his red coat. He stared angrily at his opponent with the fierce glare of his amber eyes. "Is this all _temee _got?" Akamaru the old weasel demon stood firmly without being daunted by the half-demon's aggressiveness.

"Shut up, _hanyou_, you have no right to reply back in such a condition," the demon responded sinisterly. Bringing forward a hand full of claws and glowing with a purple aura the same colour as the streaks on his face, he prepared to give a final blow.

"Prepare to die, together with your _ningen_ lover."

A purifying arrow broke the summoning up. Akamaru the demon looked at his second attacker, a priestess with brown straw and pointing an arrow at him. The first arrow shot had pierced through his hand.

"That was really foolish, priestess," he sounded back to Kikyo. "So what she said was true. Your power is waning."

"She?" Kikyo shouted back still aiming the arrow at him. "What do you mean by she?"

"Of course it's me, he is mentioning."

Kikyo recognized the voice instantly. She looked at the source to find a certain dark priestess appearing from nowhere with several snakes wrapping around her body. Her hair was always black and flowing, with the same sinister smile pasted on her visage.

"Did…did you two planned all this?" The holy priestess questioned. The other priestess gave a small evil chuckle and cuddled one snake with a hand.

"Of course it is only me who had planned it," she replied back and pointing a finger to the old demon beside her. "He is only my pawn."

"You are just going down, Tsubaki," Kikyo replied back without bothering to find out and shot an arrow towards the dark priestess. Tsubaki closed her eyes and chanted which made the snakes around her hiss with _jaki_. A pink sphere-like barrier surrounded her and Akamaru. Before the arrow could pierce the barrier, it was simply bounced off by it.

"Your powers have waned, Kikyo," she replied back to the priestess who overwhelmed by her failure to pierce the barrier which was supposedly an easy task for her in past battles. "Now you cannot even pierce such a simple barrier. How are you going to keep the sacred jewel at this rate?"

"A corrupted priestess like you will never deserve the jewel!" Came the holy priestess' reply. "The world will become a worsened place if you were to possess it!"

"_Yare yare_," Tsubaki questioned Kikyo's comment. "And a priestess who has devoted her heart to a _hanyou _doesn't deserve the jewel too…and it seems that the curse really does affect you after all." She gave a wider evil grin to the priestess with the bow and arrow.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted to the priestess who turned her head to look at the injured half-demon who had stained the white with blood distinctly. "Don't give in to her! She's trying to deceive you."

_But Tsubaki's right after all…_

Kikyo thought for a long moment, with the only sound coming from Tsubaki's sinister chuckle. She lowered her arrow and then her bow, looking down at the snow she was stepping on. A dark look on her face as her fringe blocked out her eyes, Kikyo gave an abrupt smile to her face.

"It doesn't matter who has the sacred jewel," she replied back strangely and looked up at the dark priestess. "I may have broken my principles as a celibate priestess, but as long as I can protect it from harm, it doesn't matter."

Tsubaki gave a slight back step, her eyes in fear of the priestess who had suddenly become strong. "Y-you had better give me the jewel," she exclaimed back in sudden shock and anger. "Akamaru, kill that priestess!" She pointed a finger at the priestess.

"A mere demon will not stop me from protecting the jewel," Kikyo raised her head up quickly and raised her bow pointing her arrow at the demon who had used the other hand to whip up another current wind which also affected the snow on the ground. She released the arrow from the bow at full length with it glowing with a blue aura.

Akamaru watched as his attack was easily destroyed by the glowing arrow. It was not long before the arrow hit his chest suddenly. As the arrow glowed bluish, the demon it had pierced into had a blue aura around him too. Within seconds, he had disintegrated into bits of black dust.

"Rest in peace, old demon," Kikyo spoke back in a few words. She pointed the next arrow at the dark priestess, locking her eyes into a stare. "It's your turn next."

"I won't be easily defeated by you!" Tsubaki began to make another chant closing her eyes and placing two fingers before her mouth. A white glow began to emanate from her body as she smiled again. "I'll see you sometime again!"

In a flash, the dark priestess had disappeared into oblivion. Kikyo lowered her bow and looked at the suddenly tranquil area before noticing that the half-demon did not seem to have a presence anywhere. She looked around frantically before catching something buried in the snow which had been whipped out through Akamaru's attack. A certain piece of red cloth once again appeared above the snow level.

The priestess rushed to wipe away the cold snow with her bare hands. The half-demon was in the snow indeed, but still breathing away. After all, a demon would be immune to many illnesses, let alone frostbite. Kikyo just gave a small smile in her face among the cold and perpetually calm look she had always expressed before changing it into a small frown again.

Kikyo looked up at the blue sky where the clouds were shape-shifting. It was indeed a beautiful day to return to the village.

Or was it?

"Akamaru failed to defeat the priestess?" a small spider demon perched on a small rock spoke, with the infamous Tsubaki standing near it. "Kukukuku. I should have known."

"What do you propose then?" Tsubaki looked at the spider demon angrily. "After all, it was you who had created the plan to force Akamaru to attack that wretch." The spider demon sat there and looked evilly at the dark priestess.

"What are you up to your tricks again?" She questioned back angrily, pulling up the spider demon. It knew that Tsubaki was far more superior in power than itself.

"Calm down, priestess," it replied back to the irritated priestess. "I have another plan." It crawled from Tsubaki's arm to her ear, and whispered certain information. She narrowed her eyes and gave another sinister smile.

"Hmmm…the so-called Onigumo…" she spoke in an evil manner. "So he is of use?"

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**Ended. I just can't really think much of what to write next. Can anyone give me some ideas, or I'll really go bonkers! Okay, I was just joking only although it is rather lame. Please look forward to the next chapter! )**

**Glossary:**

_**Kazejutusu: Some wind technique which I cooked the name up.**_

_**Kusou: A Japanese term for cursing**_

_**Temee: A rather rude term for describing 'you'**_


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